Swabbing the Deck

There was a time when 'freedom of the press' laid largely on the fact that it was not an industry, but those times are now long gone. The press, as a forth estate, is not only an industry, but foremost a business and striving to be a political force. Perish the idea then that the press is an independent non biased messenger and let's look at issues straightly.

In modern times the press has forged its stance as a counter-medium of dissemination, mostly hostile to government propaganda. In our country this as can be noticed in present Pikoli saga. Regrettably it is prone to exaggeration in reporting, especially when it comes to government short-comings. For instance, the press should have correctly reported the suspension of Vusi Pikoli, the national director of persecution as a suspension, not a dismissal, since the law does not permit the president to suspend the national director of persecution without due Parliamentary process. It is no wonder that Frank Chikane, the director general of the Presidency and Secretary of the Cabinet, accused it of manufacturing a crisis.

Be that as it may, it does not mean all the issues the press raises lend credence to centaurs and satyrs. Personally I agree with the leader of the opposition party, Helen Zille, that Frene Ginwala is not an ideal person to lead the inquiry of the suspension of the national director of persecution. We don't doubt her competence, just her bona fides, considering the fact that she is the member of the National Executive Council, thus too associated with the higher echelons of the ruling party. In the ideal world this would have no bearing on her objectivity, but we don't live in an ideal world.

I also think that, for maintaining the dignity of the office the National Commission of the SA Police Service, Jackie Selebi should at least step down until all the shenanigans that surrounds him are sorted out. For the press to say the whole thing is what Rabelais evoked as inevitable sites of murmur and plot might be spreading it too thickly, but that it is what the press does when not supplied with clear information. Rev Chikane might despise the rattle, or try to disown the gibberish, but providing clear information is the only thing that'll relieve the fatigue of the situation.
On the other hand if the reported allegations against the Sunday Times editor and his deputy of illegally being in possession of the health minister's hospital records are true then the law must take its course. None of us are above the law, and freedom of expression does not excuse anyone from obeying journalistic ethics and the laws of the country. It beats me how that would spell degrading towards the Zimbabwean situation, as some of our media commentators (especially at Johnnic Media—I’m not sure what those guys are smoking), howling on the strength of delusions of their pen, have taken to vacuously saying.
The ideal would be for our journalistic commentary to broaden the perceptions of our collective consciousness into nationhood, instead of invoking people to retreating Lagers that are defined by their respective prejudices. As it is now we're trapped in cloying political leader trashing than proper analysis. Whatever maybe wrong with our president's style of leadership it sometimes seems more is growing wrong with our avuncular self-assured rehearsed imitative arguments. The problem is not that we are underlings, but are iconoclasts bent only on bringing the prominent to dust.

Perhaps what we need now, more than in 1995, is to win the Rugby World Cup to re-inject our sense of national pride. Something that'll embody the conception of social and cultural transformation while giving voice to the true nature of our generation. We need something that will attribute our characteristics and values across racial, social, cultural, and historic timelines on the basis of our common geographical and experiential roots.

It does not mean we need to stop being frank and honest on with each other; whitewashing things is not going to help us. But a change of tone and depth in analyses as opposed to superficial pettiness is desirable. Somehow we've to find ways of rising above our purée of disgust and inherited mistrust for we're starting to sound ludicrous and foolish.

Ghandi once said that "the real struggle that democracy must wage is a struggle within the individual self, between the urge to dominate and defile the other and a willingness to live respectfully on terms of compassion and equality". And Steve Biko was wont to quote Aimé Césaire that no one "possesses the monopoly on truth, intelligence, force and there is room for all of us at the rendezvous of victory." If only.