Mr Henry Jeffreys
The New Age
Via email:[email protected]
Dear Sir:
I haven taken note of an article in your newspaper titled “Buthelezi keen, if asked to stay” (Tuesday, 08 February 2011) in which your paper alleges that the IFP President “has no plans to relinquish the presidency of the party”. This is the second time within weeks that your paper has made this baseless and false allegation.
The article’s headline is deliberately misleading as it states as fact that the IFP President declared himself keen to continue to lead the IFP. But this sinks under the weight of contradiction when the writer correctly quotes the IFP President saying, “the National Council requested me not to step down until the congress because the party was in turmoil. If they ask me to stand again, I will consider.”
To state that he would consider the request of the National Council is a far cry from declaring himself available to again lead the Party, or “keen” as the New Age describes it. Instead, Prince Buthelezi has on numerous occasions declared his intention to retire and he has yet to consider the request of the Party’s highest-decision making body to again lead the Party. The IFP’s elective Annual General Conference is scheduled for October. Thus Prince Buthelezi still has eight months to consider this weighty request.
This type of journalism that forgoes well-researched news in favour of eye-catching headlines will only create a reputation that the New Age is unprofessional and sensationalist. This is a serious matter for the paper’s editors to consider, if the New Age hopes to be regarded as a serious role-player in the SA print media.
PROFESSOR CT MSIMANG MP
DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE IFP
