The National Press Club (NPC) and the African Media and Communicators Forum (AMCF) have welcomed the court order permitting media houses to record proceedings of the case involving kidnapped journalist Sibusiso ‘Aserie’ Ndlovu and his partner, Zodwa Mdhluli.
The order was granted by the KwaMhlanga Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Last week, the police discovered two bodies believed to be that of Ndlovu and Mdhluli. The couple had been missing since 18 February 2025.
Their discovery was the result of a lengthy and thorough investigation by a multi-disciplinary team of law enforcement agencies. These efforts led to the arrest of four suspects, who are currently in police custody.
In total, eight suspects have been arrested for the alleged murder of Ndlovu and Mdhluli.
The NPC and AMCF brought a formal application before court on behalf of several media houses after media houses were barred from recording the proceedings or taking photographs of the accused persons without a formal application.
The represented media houses include:
- Sunday Times
- Kaya FM
- News24
- SABC
- Newzroom Afrika
- eNCA
- Sowetan
- Eyewitness News (EWN)
The two organisations said they understand that not every South African can physically attend court proceedings, and that the order will ensure that citizens can stay informed about crucial developments in the case through the eyes of the media.
Acting Chairperson of the National Press Club, Antoinette Slabbert, said:
“The National Press Club and wider media fraternity has since the disappearance of our brother and colleague Aseri Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Mdhluli consistently applied pressure to ensure they are brought home.”
“Unfortunately, it was not the outcome we hoped for. However, we will not let up now; we will make sure that justice is served for the couple. Today’s order enables us to take our audiences with us as we follow the court proceedings to ensure that those who did these terrible things to the couple account for their evil deeds,” Slabbert said.
Chairperson of the AMFC, Elijah Mhlanga, said:
“We welcome the court’s decision to grant permission for the media to broadcast proceedings in this important case that involves one of our own. This ruling not only upholds the principles of transparency and public access to justice but also allows the community to stay informed about matters of great public interest.
“Such coverage fosters an environment where justice is not only done but is also seen to be done. The court order reinforces the democratic principle that justice should be accessible to all. We will continue supporting the families until we see justice served.”
As the matter returns to court on 19 May 2025, the AMCF and NPC will continue to monitor the proceedings and support the families.
This article was originally published on SA Gov News.