COSATU has come out against the government's proposed media appeals tribunal, saying it could take the country down a "slippery slope" if implemented in its current form.

Speaking at the end of the union federation's three-day central executive committee meeting in Johannesburg, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said the repressive media appeals tribunal "could not be supported until it was much clearer how it would be constituted".

The proposed tribunal has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation as it could see local journalists being imprisoned for exposing corruption when using information the government has classified.

Vavi said the union federation was wary about the proposed tribunal protecting corrupt government officials and the ANC top brass, and preventing investigative reporters from probing acts that might cast them in a bad light.

"The demise of the Scorpions was rushed, but where is legislation on labour brokers? Where is the national health insurance, or the proposed growth path and the restructuring of the economy?" asked Vavi.

He said that Cosatu would oppose any tribunal that could be used to intimidate the media into not exposing crime, corruption, incompetence or waste of public money.

"On the contrary, that is what the media should be encouraged to do," he said.

"Can the CEC blindly go and support something that is going to give shelter to corrupt tendencies? No. It is not going to do that."

Vavi said, however, that the union federation was opposed to media self-regulation, referring to current media watchdogs such as the Press Council of South Africa, the press ombudsman and the Press Appeals Panel.

"They have not been effective in combating the problem because they are underfunded, understaffed and too closely linked to the media industry," he said. "There is therefore a case for looking at alternative bodies to provide the public with ways to defend themselves against unfair and inaccurate reporting."

Cosatu said, however, that it agreed with the ANC's policy discussion document on the tribunal, saying that "there can be no real freedom without diversity in ownership".

"The media is a contested terrain, not neutral, but reflects the ideological battles and power relations based on race, class and gender in our society. It cannot claim that its role is merely to reflect interests - rather it helps to shape those interests."

The committee agreed that the Protection of Information Bill had to be withdrawn and amended as would lead to harassment of whistle-blowers and endanger their safety.