Complaints.
General information
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The Press Council’s complaints mechanism is about alleged breaches of the Press Code in material published by print and/or online publications that subscribe to the jurisdiction of the Press Council.
Complaints are lodged agaist publications, not individual journalists or editors.
- If your complaint is about a broadcast on TV or radio, please contact the Broadcasting
- If your complaint is about an advertisement, please contact
Complaints Procedures
Promoting press freedom.
Sanctions
A hierarchy of sanctions are applied from Tier 1 to Tier 3.
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Tier 1 involves minor breaches, including:
- wrongly spelled names, and
- minor factual errors that do not change the thrust of the story
Sanctions may include an apology on any inside page, but not on the front page – or, in the case of an online publication, the home or landing page – as directed by the Ombud or the Chair of Appeals.
Monetary fines are not imposed as a penalty for the content of the press. However, monetary fines according to a formula determined by the Press Council, and/or suspension for a period, or expulsion from the jurisdiction of the Ombud, may be imposed as sanctions for a respondent’s failure to appear for adjudication hearings and repeated non-compliance with the rulings of the adjudicatory system.
If a publication is reinstated because it complied with the conditions and then it defaults again within 12 months, it would immediately be expelled from the system.
When the Ombud finds that a publication is a repeat offender, he or she will specifically point this out in the ruling.
The Ombud may recommend that the Press Council convene a hearing to inquire into repeated offences and ask the offender for an explanation and a plan to revent recidivism.
Apologies & corrections
The Press Council has noted that members have different practices with respect to the publication of apologies and corrections that have not been ordered by the Ombudsman.
Please read our full guidance note for all the information issued by the Press Council to assist members with deciding on the placement, prominence and content of apologies they decide to publish after it has been brought to their attention by members of the public that incorrect information has been published or that an aspect of the Press Code of Ethics and Conduct for South African Print and Online Media has been breached.
The Press Council’s Public Advocate will also rely on these guidelines in interactions with publications to resolve and settle complaints on behalf of the public.