“Yes, he is the head of state and his conduct over marriage and girlfriends may reflect on how he carries his duties,” Raymond Louw, Southern Report editor and publisher, said.
“A public figure is considered to a certain extent to have forfeited his right to privacy,” Louw said, quoting from Law of Privacy in South Africa, a book written by Natal lawyer D J McQuoid-Mason.
A heated debate continues to rage inside office buildings, at taxi ranks, in taverns, at learning institutions, at church services and everywhere almost two weeks after The Sunday Independent and The Star published articles about Motlanthe's extra-marital affairs.
The stories, headlined “All the president's women” and “Motlanthe's secret affairs," respectively, infuriated Luthuli House and prompted ANC President Jacob Zuma to question the media's regard to human dignity and come to the defense of Motlanthe.
“There can be no justification for this type of invasion by the media. We stand by our deputy president. His private life has nothing to do with the way he runs the country or how he executes his tasks as the ANC deputy president. That is his own business,” Zuma was quoted as saying.
But Louw, an Africa representative of the World Press Freedom Committee, was unfazed by Zuma's outbursts, saying that he had no doubt that the reports were published in the public interest.
“While ordinary people have significant rights to privacy, celebrities, politicians and others who live their lives in the public eye, forfeit a large part of those rights.
“The public has the right to know what their elected representatives and other officials are doing. Where private behaviour touches on their suitability for public office, then that justification is very clear,” he added, again quoting from journalist Frans Kruger's book on ethics titled Black, White, Grey.
If the president is dishonest in his marital relationship, will he be dishonest in the running the country? That is the question that arises.
Furthermore, Lesley Cowling, senior lecturer in the Wits Journalism Programme, said that when serious publications see themselves as watchdogs of the powerful, then editors and journalists tend to scrutinise public figures more closely than ordinary people.
“The character of a president is considered to be important if the running of the country is in his hands. So, sometimes private issues - like relationships - become relevant because they can say something about the integrity and honesty and responsibility of the individual,” Cowling added.
“The issue here is not whether Motlanthe has many relationships, but whether there was any deception or abuse of power.”
Asked whether the above-mentioned newspapers have in any way breached the SA press code, Louw said: "The man to judge that is the press ombudsman but I doubt that he would find against the newspapers concerned.”
Asked to comment, SA press ombudsman Joe Thloloe said: “I cannot comment on this issue right now, as there is a possibility that the matter might be brought before the Press Council for judgment.”
