The Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday expressed alarm that South Africa's spy agency wants to subject Moshoeshoe Monare, the editor-in-chief of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), to additional security vetting and an invasive lie-detector test ahead of the country's crucial May 29 general election.
Lusaka — The Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday expressed alarm that South Africa 's spy agency wants to subject Moshoeshoe Monare, the editor-in-chief of the South Africa n Broadcasting Corporation , to additional security vetting and an invasive lie-detector test ahead of the country's crucial May 29 general election.
"The SABC's top management and board must guard the broadcaster's hard-won editorial independence and avoid complicity in any attempt to make it the mouthpiece of the governing African National Congress," said Angela Quintal, head of CPJ's Africa program in New York. Monare said in the SABC interview that he was vetted in 2020 for the post and answered questions as per his employment contract, which did not specify a polygraph. He said he found it strange that almost two years later, a mere month before the election, an intelligence agent suddenly informed him that he had to undergo a polygraph test.
According to Intelwatch, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening oversight of state and private intelligence actors, the SABC board - appointed by the president on the recommendation of Parliament - has the discretion to decide which staff members will be subjected to vetting under the National Strategic Intelligence Act.
Presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya told the media that Monare was not being targeted ahead of the election and that Ramaphosa would never sanction intimidation or harassment of journalists, as this would be contrary to the constitutional bill of rights, which protects press freedom. State Security Agency spokesperson Sipho Mbhele referred CPJ to presidential spokesman Magwenya's earlier statement.
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