Sunday Times reporter arrested

Sunday Times reporter Mzilikazi wa Afrika has been arrested at Avusa headquarters in Rosebank, Johannesburg. He was taken to the Rosebank police station and almost immediately put in a vehicle which is on its way to Mpumalanga.

Lawyers say wa Afrika was arrested for possession of what police claim is a fraudulent letter of resignation from Mpumalanga premier David Dabede Mabuza to President Jacob Zuma.

Wa Afrika was seized by police who became involved in a screaming match with senior editors about whether photographers could take pictures.

The arrest came at the same time as a Sanef-organised meeting of journalists to discuss threats to media freedom.

Wa Afrika was one of the journalists who wrote the story about police commissioner General Bheki Cele revealing that police top brass would move to a new building at a cost to taxpayers of more than R500-million.

The police also took his car from the Avusa underground parking.

Read the Print Media SA submissions on the Protection of Information Bill which was submitted to Parliament in June 2010.