PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS
Journalists may have to cover speech from restricted square
Journalists face increased restrictions of access and movement during President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address
Journalists covering President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address (Sona) on Thursday will have to do so from a restricted media square and they cannot leave during the event, unless they are escorted by security personnel, according to new arrangements. The Press Gallery Association and representatives from the South African National Editors Forum were in a meeting late on Tuesday with secretary of Parliament Gengezi Mgidlana to get clarity on the matter. Journalists feared the new rules would impede their work and hinder their role to relay what is happening in the House to the public. Parliament fell foul of the Constitution when a signal jammer was used to prevent journalists in the media gallery from tweeting information during the 2015 address.
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