JOHANNESBURG — The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) is “gravely concerned” about seemingly increasing political interference in the South African media, the institute’s executive director, Ayesha Kajee, said yesterday.

The newly appointed Kajee said in a statement that she is especially concerned about allegations of political interference at the SABC, and renewed calls from various political actors to establish a media tribunal.

It was recently reported that the SABC’s acting head of news, Phil Molefe, has banned senior news executives from using interviews with former president Thabo Mbeki, after an interview with him was screened during the World Cup. The SABC denied these allegations, but the board said it will investigate the matter.

“Both developments appear to signal a disturbing trend towards greater political control of the news media, and merit public scrutiny,” said Kajee.

She said the alleged incident at the SABC has similarities with the blacklisting saga of 2006/07, when former SABC head of news Snuki Zikalala banned certain political commentators, perceived to be critical of Mbeki, from being interviewed.

Referring to calls for the formation of a media tribunal to regulate the press, Kajee said individuals in the ruling tripartite alliance have been using a number of seemingly unrelated issues in the media in an attempt to validate their position.

These include allegations of media bias around the trial of former police commissioner Jackie Selebi; the revelation by former Cape Argus political journalist Ashley Smith that he received payment for writing favourably slanted reports about then Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool; and an artist’s depiction of former president Nelson Mandela as a corpse.

She said the possibility of strengthening the Press Ombudsman or establishing a truly independent media tribunal merits consideration. “Independence must be safeguarded by ensuring that there is no direct regulation by the state or the commercial media.”