The MMP, a non-governmental organisation, and the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa have submitted formal complaints against the Daily Sun based on its coverage of the recent xenophobic attacks to the press ombudsman and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).
The parties claim that “its (Daily Sun‘s) reporting has had the effect of supporting the recent violence by perpetuating stereotypes of foreign peoples,” a statement reads.
Asked to comment on the complaints, Khumalo told TheMediaOnline that the newspaper was not xenophobic. “We reported as any other newspaper did. We reported on the events that were happening, as we saw it.”
The MMP bases the complaints on, among other things, the !_LT_EMDaily Sun!_LT_/EM’s!_LT_EM !_LT_/EMcontinued use of the term “aliens”, to refer to non-nationals.
Khumalo says the term is not intended to be discriminatory and was used in line with the dictionary definition of it – “an ‘alien’ is someone that is foreign or unfamiliar”.
The MMP says the complaints recommend that !_LT_EMDaily Sun !_LT_/EMshould publish a front page apology to all its readers and should adopt an editorial position of condemning violence and seeking out stories that highlight alternative means to resolving tensions and disputes.
