Herald Editorial: How far is the ANC willing to go to create an environment where only a docile media can flourish? In Jacob Zuma’s march to the presidency, his vociferous supporters were ready to kill for him and the justice system came under severe pressure through systemic attack and political intimidation.

Those who were perceived to be potential stumbling blocks were crushed and judges were attacked and ridiculed with little or no protection from the party .

Lately, the focus has been on the media and what role it ought to play in a democracy. That follows a resolution of the ANC’s 2007 national conference to set up a media tribunal.

Yesterday, a Sunday Times journalist was arrested at work. It is difficult not to link this arrest with the atmosphere of intimidation and the ANC onslaught on the media.

Mzilikazi wa Afrika was one of the journalists who wrote a story that alleged police commissioner General Bheki Cele had leased new police headquarters for R500-million without following the normal tendering process.

Earlier this year, Cele was at the forefront of an onslaught on the media, when independent TV station e.tv broadcast an interview with two men who said they intended to rob tourists during the Fifa World Cup.

Wa Afrika was arrested yesterday by a large number of policemen in an operation the Sunday Times believes was clearly designed to intimidate the newspaper and the journalist. Sunday Times editor Ray Hartley said lawyers suspect that Wa Afrika was arrested for allegedly possessing what police claim is a fraudulent letter of resignation from Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza to President Jacob Zuma.

Hawks spokesman Musa Zondi confirmed that a Sunday Times journalist had been arrested for fraud and defeating the ends of justice.

The intimidation of the media and its proposed draconian plans are aimed at creating lapdog journalists and ANC praise-singers. These are steps that will curtail freedom of speech and expression. Issues relating to media transformation, ownership and diversity, that are supposedly what the ANC wants to discuss, are meant to conceal what the ANC’s real aim is – that of covering up corruption and state under performance.

These bullying tactics are a reminder of South Africa’s painful, repressive past and cannot be allowed to be resurrected. Our young democracy will be the first casualty.