MK Party denies claims former Star editor was involved in party’s inception

The MK Party has dismissed claims that its newly appointed national spokesperson, Sifiso Mahlangu, was involved with the party during its formation while he was editor-in-chief at The Star newspaper.

Mahlangu’s recent appointment followed his resignation from the newspaper on May 6.

Following his appointment, reports emerged alleging that Mahlangu had been working with the political party during its initial stages while still heading The Star.

The SA National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) strongly condemned the reports, stating that any editor or journalist engaging in political activity severely compromised the impartiality required in news reporting.

“The role of an editor demands independence, impartiality, credibility, and the unwavering trust of the public,” Sanef said. “Any blurring of the lines between journalism and party politics fundamentally undermines public confidence in the media and damages the integrity of the profession as a whole.”

However, the MK Party asserted that Mahlangu only became involved with the party after his official appointment on Monday.

“This allegation is false, reckless, and not supported by any verifiable facts,” the party stated. “Mahlangu was only appointed by the MK Party’s president, Jacob Zuma, on Monday following a meeting with party officials, and he had no prior involvement in the party’s formation or operations.”

The party went on to describe Sanef’s concerns as a “serious lapse in judgement” for a non-governmental organisation that positions itself as a guardian of journalistic ethics.

“Sanef is not a regulator, yet it continues to issue public pronouncements that carry institutional weight without consistently applying the basic standards of verification and balance.”

The party further questioned why the forum had not raised similar concerns in the past regarding Songezo Zibi, the current leader of Rise Mzansi and former editor of Business Day newspaper.

Additionally, the party urged Sanef to redirect its focus toward Special Investigating Unit investigations involving its former chairperson, Makhudu Sefara, as well as advocating for the fair remuneration of black journalists.

“Sanef must reflect on the seriousness of issuing public statements based on inference and assumption, while also failing to observe basic procedural fairness, such as providing a right of reply to Cde Mahlangu.

“The MK Party calls on Sanef to correct the record and to apply the same standards to itself that it expects from journalists and editors.”

In response to the growing controversy, Mahlangu’s former employer, Independent Media, stated it was entirely unaware of his political ambitions when he stepped down.

“At the time of his resignation, he did not disclose his intention to join a political organisation, nor did he indicate the nature of his future employment,” said Independent Media editor-in-chief Adri Senekal de Wet.

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