HARARE - Former African National Congress (ANC) youth league leader Julius Malema should apologise for the violent and disorderly conduct of his aides who attacked Daily News journalists Tendai Kamhungira and Bethule Nkiwane at the weekend, Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) says.

The two journalists wanted to interview Malema when they were set upon by the violent mob.

“As African journalists, we have been campaigning for the safety and protection of African journalists at the African Union Commission and sadly, Malema’s compatriot, the incoming AU chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will have to deal with our complaint. We cannot have our journalists being harassed as a result of violence imported from South Africa through Malema’s bodyguards,” said Zuj secretary-general Foster Dongozi.

“We demand that Malema issues an unconditional apology for the trauma brought on the journalists and that they should return the memory card which was stolen by his aides,” added Dongozi.

He said Zuj was going to raise its concerns with the South AfricanEmbassy and the African Commission’s Special Rapporteur on Access to Information and Freedom of Expression, Pansy Tlakula.

“Recently, following massive engagement and lobbying, the United Nations Council on Human Rights adopted resolutions on the safety of journalists which have to be respected by state and non-state actors including violent mobs accompanying Malema,” added Dongozi. — ZUJ