Al-Ameen Kafaar, Cape Town: The mainstream media have only themselves to blame for the ANC's call to establish a media tribunal. Their claim to be the voice of the people is farcical; they represent the interests of big business.

The ANC had the opportunity 16 years ago to ensure real media diversity. Instead of deconstructing, it preferred the fallacy that a media left to market forces would ensure diversity.

Media monopolies are curbing the spread of ideas and are harming our democracy. An example is the complaint before the Competition Tribunal that Media24 allegedly killed its Free State competition by abusing its dominant position, selling advertising at a highly discounted rate.

There is a symbiotic relationship between mainstream media and big business that negates freedom of expression. Big business buys mainstream media silence and the true community media voice is battling to survive.

Campaigns to limit media ownership, such as StopBigMedia, are gaining momentum globally.

The mainstream media in South Africa are not plural. One can count on one hand the newspapers and magazines published in African languages. Pluralism is largely in community radio - and there it barely survives.

The ANC should create real media diversity by nurturing community media.

The mainstream media should take a closer look at Thailand, where a high concentration of media ownership caused a constitutional crisis.