News24 places child victim at risk
When reporting on stories involving child victims, it is crucial that media practitioners take every possible measure to safeguard children’s rights and prevent any potential harm resulting from the coverage.
It is for this reason that Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) issues a MAD[1] to News24 for the article titled, “‘Our hearts are broken’: Yet another teen dies in crossfire of Cape Town’s gang war” (08/08/2024).
The article discusses two male teenagers from the Western Cape who were caught in the crossfire of a gang-related shooting, leading to the tragic death of one and the serious injury of the other, a minor who remains in critical condition.
While the article highlights the pressing issue of ongoing gang violence in Cape Town—an issue that demands more attention—it fails to adequately protect the identity of the child victim. Although the article refrains from publishing the full name, it indirectly identifies the minor by using his first name, which poses a significant risk to his safety, particularly since the suspects involved in the crime are still at large.
Revealing the identity of a child victim in a news story, whether directly or indirectly, violates the principle of the best interests of the child as outlined in the Bill of Rights[2]. And in this case, there is no public interest justification for disclosing the child’s identity, as the story can be effectively told without doing so.
The Criminal Procedure Amendment Act of 2021[3] explicitly states that, “no person shall before, during, or at any stage after the conclusion of criminal proceedings, in any manner, including on any social media or electronic platform, publish any information which reveals or may reveal the identity of an accused, victim, or witness who is or was under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged commission of an offence.” This legal provision is particularly relevant as the child victim may be a key figure in the ongoing criminal investigation.
MMA acknowledges the importance of reporting on stories that affect children’s well-being. However, reporters must exercise the utmost caution and consider all ethical and legal obligations to ensure that the safety and rights of child victims are fully protected in their coverage. MMA urges News24 to retract the child’s identity from the article in order to protect the child’s rights and welfare, especially as investigations into the crime are still ongoing. News24 can use this opportunity to explain to readers on the importance of withholding identities when reporting on children who have been involved in traumatic incidents and issues such as the ones already mentioned.
We look forward to reading better informed reports on issues involving children.
Written By Tumelo Hlaka
Edited by Ntombifuthi Kubeka
[1] MADs are given to journalists who have reported on children’s stories and have compromised their rights and welfare.
[2] Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 – Chapter 2: Bill of Rights | South African Government (www.gov.za)
[3] Act_No_16_of_2021_Criminal_Procedure_Amendment_Act_2021.pdf (pmg.org.za)