South Africa: CFWIJ condemns the defamatory online attack on journalist Qaanitah Hunter
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May 20, 2021, Cape Town - Journalist Qaanitah Hunter was singled out in a Twitter attack by the ANC Women's League (ANCWL) president, Bathabile Dlamini. Dlamini attacked Hunter’s personal character, allegiance to the principles of feminism, and her professional integrity without any proof. Hunter’s employer company News24 has decided to take legal action in response to Dlamini’s allegations.
On Friday, May 7, ANCWL president, Bathabile Dlamini took to Twitter to target Qaanitah Hunter following an article Hunter had written about an ANCWL meeting the preceding night. According to Hunter, the meeting was held to debate whether the organization should arrange a march in support of ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule. In her tweets, Dlamini accused Hunter of being a “queen of patriarchy” who is negatively impacting the feminist struggle in the country because she is on the payroll of a “Master”.
Again this journalist paid to write propaganda is lying about the meeting of the WL .The approach that she is coming up with is figmentation of her corrupt mind .Each and every member of the WL NWC that attended the NWC knows what was exactly discussed in the NWC .She is a liar
— Bathabile Dlamini (@sbahlesonke0) May 7, 2021
I am going to lay a complaint to the press ombudman about her unbecoming behaviour and who ever is paying her to divide the ANC must just stop .This woman has been left for a long time leaking gori details of the ANC meetings and who your master
— Bathabile Dlamini (@sbahlesonke0) May 7, 2021
The remarks, targeting a woman journalist on a platform like Twitter where women regularly have to fend off gendered attacks, took several organizations by shock. The South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) came out with a statement condemning Dlamini’s comments, and shedding light on how such attacks leave women journalists vulnerable to online vitriol. T
The legal team of News24, Hunter’s employer organization, meanwhile has asked for an unconditional retraction of these statements and have demanded an apology across all social media platforms. Dlamini was given a 24-hour deadline to meet the requirements, which she subsequently missed, prompting the media outlet to pursue legal action against her. According to News24 editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson, "Dlamini's unfortunate tweets are another example of how rogue politicians, here and globally, have weaponised social media to insult, denigrate and ultimately silence the work of critical journalists.”
"We shall not succumb or quiver to Dlamini's disgusting behaviour in the name of women empowerment. We will continue to demand an apology and retraction in the right legal forum,” he added.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns Bathabile Dlamini’s attacks on Qaanitah Hunter. You cannot claim to represent feminist politics while putting women journalists at risk in the digital space. Claims of feminist politics do not provide shelter from critical engagement, if anything they should encourage free press and scrutiny. Neither can past feminist work be weaponized against women journalists who are simply doing their jobs. It is thus, of supreme importance, that Bathabile Dlamini issue an unconditional apology over her remarks.
