Communications Minister Faith Muthambi is leading a fresh campaign to regulate and “transform” the media in South Africa.

According to a report by the City Press, Muthambi has called for action to introduce a regulatory system in print media to “achieve the meaningful transformation agenda” of the country.

The process would involve a renewed parliamentary inquiry into media regulation, which she would participate in.

“We need to come up with a more balanced and acceptable regime within the industry,” said Muthambi.

In July 2014, following her appointment as head of the newly-structured department of communications – dubbed the “department of propaganda” by opposition parties – Muthambi said she would force change and transformation in the industry.

The call was for “revolution”, part of which was to “force the media to transform like all other parts of society. The honeymoon in terms of the lethargy over transformation, especially in the print media, is over,” Muthambi said at the time.

According to the City Press, ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa confirmed that the party’s stance was to stick to its 2007 resolution, calling for a state-controlled media appeals tribunal to regulate the media.

The ANC has been critical about media coverage in South Africa, particularly around President Jacob Zuma, the Nkandla scandal, and more recently the xenophobic attacks – coverage of which the Presidency said painted the country in a bad light.

The South African National Editors Forum has warned against using a state-run regulatory system over the self-regulating system currently in place.

A state-controlled system would be unnecessary and unconstitutional, the body said.

You can read the full story in the City Press of 26 April 2015

More on Media

New code of ethics proposed for SA online media

We will force media to change: DoC

Gupta newspaper rakes in government millions