Mvela after M&G?

IOL reports that on Sunday, SANEF stated that the potential for direct political influence over the media was unhealthy for democracy, giving various examples of “the possibility of political office-bearers and civil servants acquiring interests in independent media”.

Rob Handfield-Jones, the outspoken editor of Caxton's AutoDealer, has written in his personal capacity an open letter to Essop Pahad, Minister in the Presidency, concerning his “latest attack on the media”, published on Journalism.co.za. Pahad's full speech at the inaugural meeting of the Press Council of South Africa on 2 November is available on SANEF's website.

This week's Financial Mail editorial is also concerned with keeping politicians out of the media. The financial magazine also raises questions about the role of two particular Coronation and Allan Gray directors in connection with the M-Net deal.

For more:

• Sunday Times Business Times: The media wars
  
• News24: 'Govt not behind media buy'
  
• Business Day: Mbeki defends Koni's bid for Johncom media
  
• SABCnews.co.za: Mbeki denies govt involvement in Koni Media bid
  
• SABCnews.co.za: Check your Johncom facts - Mbeki tells critics
  
• IOL: Political influence is undesirable – editors
  
• SABCnews.co.za: Govt must re-look media ownership: Maseko
  
• Journalism.co.za: Of course there are reasons to worry about media freedom
  
• SANEF: Address to the Press Council of SA by Dr. EG Pahad, Minister, The Presidency - November 02, 2007
  
• Financial Mail: Keep politicians out of the media [editorial]
  
• Financial Mail: Murmurs over M-Net deal