Political posturing and the need for peace journalism in South Africa: The case of Julius Malema

Abstract

For South Africa, 2010 marked a renewed presence in the international community both as the host of the FIFA Football World Cup, and as a continued economic and political powerhouse on the African continent. In light of this, some concern was (and continues to be) expressed about the mass media's ongoing coverage of the contentious racial discourse – and often violent rhetoric – used by Julius S Malema, current President of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL). Should more aggressive and confrontational political posturing in a newly emerging democracy be silenced, or should such perspectives be afforded the magnitude of coverage awarded to Malema, so as to encourage public debate? Labelled a ‘moron’ by Time Magazine, and eventually called to order by the ANC leadership in May 2010 for bringing the party into disrepute, Malema is a controversial figure in both international and local circles. While the role he plays may merit attention, it is the sheer volume of media reports and the nature of their content that demand examination and reflection. In the interests of maintaining stability within diverse societies, it is arguable that the media should be more aware of peace journalism practices, and should attempt to adhere to some of these principles when producing material for public consumption. This study is informed by a content analysis of English South African print media, conducted over an 18-month period.

Keywords:

• controversy
• Julius Malema
• news media coverage
• peace journalism
• political communication
• South Africa