The provincial portfolio committee on public works in the Mpumalanga legislature on March 18 rejected an attempt by journalists to table questions during the committee’s sessions. It followed a written question from journalists requesting details of a threatened multi-million rand damages suit against the provincial government by German aviation giant Daimler Benz. Journalists c overing the committee meeting had also tried to ask questions about the province’s irregular purchase of ten luxury BMWs. Government officials had consistently refused to answer media questions relating to both these issues.

Following objections from the deputy speaker of the legislature, Cynthia Ripinga, and African National Congress (ANC) chief whip Fish Mahlalela, the committee chairman, BJ Tolo, barred journalists from having any form of direct participation in committee sessions. "The rules say the media is allowed to be here but doesn’t say anything about them asking questions. They shoul d therefore only be allowed to observe the proceedings," he said.

Journalist Justin Arenstein from the African Eye News Service, and one of those affected by the ban, described the action as a reversal of "three years of established press freedom in the province". The Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA) noted that the Constitution "expressly obligated" legislatures to facilitate public participation in committee s and other policy formation bodies. A spokesman added: "Chairman should understand that questions from the media could help them realise public concerns and also direct them to issues they may have overlooked in their quests to hold departments and politicians accountable."