Rebecca Mamaila Mohlala

Redi, before you sign off on this topic, there is something you also need to acknowledge. EFF leaders, particularly Julius Malema, have for years been subjected to relentless attacks, personal smears and accusations, some of which are presented in the public domain long before they have been established as fact. His name is constantly dragged into controversies, and the opportunity to portray him negatively is rarely missed. Yet, very seldom do we see the same enthusiasm in acknowledging his positive contributions or the things he has done that deserve recognition. You cannot expect EFF leaders to simply accept every accusation, every personal attack and every attempt to undermine their names, and then act surprised when they push back. Journalism does not give anyone a licence to say whatever they please about other people without being challenged. Journalists have every right to ask difficult questions, but political leaders also have the right to challenge questions they consider unfair, irrelevant or poorly framed. And please, let's talk about consistency. There are other political leaders who have faced serious allegations and controversies, including Cyril Ramaphosa and Helen Zille. Have we seen the same sustained appetite for personal attacks and public humiliation directed at them? Helen Zille's controversial remarks about apartheid, for example, have generated considerable public debate. Why should scrutiny of political leaders be applied selectively? I am not suggesting that allegations against different politicians are identical or equally substantiated. I am asking for consistency in how they are scrutinised. You also cannot condemn the humiliation of women journalists while participating in or overlooking the public humiliation of other people. Bringing people's private parts into political disagreements is no less degrading simply because the targets happen to be men. If we are going to defend dignity, let's defend it consistently. And this business of journalists positioning themselves as though they are above criticism simply because they practise journalism needs to stop. You are entitled to your opinions about Julius Malema, just as we are entitled to ours about you. You can challenge him, question him and hold him accountable. But you cannot expect us to sit quietly while you make personal attacks against our leadership and then hide behind your profession when people challenge you. We are not asking you to like Malema. We are certainly not asking you to support the EFF. But please understand that he is our leader. EFF members elected him, and we have every right to defend him when we believe he is being unfairly targeted. You are not an angel yourself, Redi. Neither are the people you defend. So, please, leave us to manage our political organisation. We will decide how to deal with our leadership, and you can continue doing your job. But do not expect us to surrender our right to challenge you simply because you are a journalist.