Overwhelming approval of POIB a sign of a dwindling democracy
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The Southern African Freelancers' Association (Safrea) is looking forward to improving service, both to members and to potential clients, with its new website that launches today.
The new site brings many new features that are intended to help members sell their services and to make it easier for potential clients to find the freelancers who suit their needs. The new, more flexible search feature, for example, enables clients to shortlist freelancers by entering key words such as "aerial photographer" or "academic translator afrikaans english".
Read details about Yonhap International Press Photo Awards
The 2011 Press Freedom Day offers little to celebrate while SA freelance photographer, Anton Hammerl, remains in Libyan military detention since 5 April, without direct government intervention.
Representatives of the Southern African Freelancers’ Association (SAFREA) and various individual members belonging to this organisation have added their signatures to a new letter that appeals for information on the whereabouts and safety - and the release - of South African photojournalist Anton Hammerl.
The Southern African Freelancers Association (Safrea) is shocked and deeply saddened by the senseless killing of South African freelance photographer Anton Hammerl and requests a formal investigation into the matter.
Freelancers belonging to the Eastern Cape and Free State branch of the Southern African Freelancers' Association (SAFREA) have expressed deep concern over and condemned the attack on the media and to burn down The Herald's offices by Nelson Mandela Bay ANC regional chairperson Nceba Faku.
Social marketing is fast becoming the easiest way to promote your business online, and for freelancers who run micro businesses from home it is an affordable way to market themselves and create brand awareness, says Georgina Guedes, chairperson of the Southern African Freelancers Association (Safrea).
The Southern African Freelancers’ Association (Safrea) applauds President Jacob Zuma’s undertaking to do “whatever is possible” to assist in getting information on the whereabouts of slain freelance journalist Anton Hammerl’s remains.
The Southern African Freelancers’ Association (Safrea) is extremely concerned about the possibility of the passing of the Protection of Information Bill, which will threaten mdia freedom and jeopardize freelance jobs.
The Southern African Freelancers’Association (SAFREA) in the Western Cape has been watching with great concernrecent reports about renewed intentions of government to forge ahead with its proposed Information Protection Bill despite widespread opposition by various professional and civil society groupings in South Africa and abroad.
The worldwide recession has forced more people to start a freelance career. Safreans Georgi Guedes, Jonno Cohen and Helen Ueckermann commented on freelancing and social media in Sake24. http://www.sake24.com/Maatskap?pye/Reklame/Facebook-kan-vrysk?utters-vlerke-gee-20110808
Government’s actions re Info Bill a continued threat to a healthy media industry
Safrea applauds revisions to the POIB; warns that government has yet missed another opportunity to protect truth seekers
The Southern African Freelancers Association (Safrea) finds it incomprehensible that the National Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Protection of State Information Bill today despite an uproar in opposition of the act in the past week.
Safrea, a nationwide association of freelancers in the media industry, further finds it unthinkable that Members of Parliament who physically bear scars for opposing just this type of legislation during Apartheid could allow history to be repeated.The fact that this came to pass without the proper and promised consultation with the public represents a dark picture of a dwindling democracy. Without the free flow of information and robust debate there can be no full democracy.
A government that has nothing to fear from scrutiny would have no hesitation in supporting a public interest defence in access to information, no matter how confidential. A law that refuses to acknowledge that there can be any public interest in confidential information legitimises a power elite who are above the law and able to protect themselves from genuine enquiry.
There is probably no government in history that has not abused a position of power to enrich its own leaders. Only where there is a balance of power can there be the constant scrutiny and vigilance required for a healthy polity and democracy.
This political interference in media freedom and the right of South Africans to know what our government is up to, is a severe threat to a healthy media industry and hence the livelihood of all South Africans employed in the media sector, and may very well result in further job losses. This is of particular interest to freelancers in the media industry, as they do not have access to the same necessary legal and practical support available to journalists in full-time employment.
The passing of this law is a clear and definite step towards entrenching the monopoly of a single party to convey an unquestionable and received wisdom about the truth.
“South Africa is being judged on the degree to which our media is free of government and/or political interference. Should this Bill go ahead, South Africa will be increasingly relegated to the list of failed economies where bribery and other forms of corruption replace normal healthy economic activity. If this happens it will result in less economic freedom, the failure of the economy, further job losses and poverty,” says Gareth Griffiths, acting Chairperson of Safrea.
“Safrea, whose members protested in all major South African cities today, believes we are all the poorer for this,” he said.
ENDS
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