From Daily Maverick · Bhekisisa Mncube · · 2m
Breaking news fatigue in the fight against corruption
A columnist argues that constant alerts about arrests and investigations are exhausting rather than informative, and proposes scheduling them better.
In brief
A columnist argues that constant alerts about arrests and investigations are exhausting rather than informative, and proposes scheduling them better. A columnist says the relentless pace of breaking news alerts about corruption arrests is overwhelming and proposes a National Breaking News Coordination Committee to…
The toll of constant alerts
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Bhekisisa Mncube celebrates arrests in the fight against corruption but says the relentless breaking news alerts are damaging his health and exhausting his patience.
“I raise a beer to every arrest in the fight against corruption, but all the toasting is breaking my liver.”
When breaking news became routine
The phrase breaking news was first recorded in an American newspaper in eighteen seventy-seven. After the nineteen oh six San Francisco earthquake, the Associated Press introduced flash alerts for exceptional stories.
Suliman Carrim bail announcement
On twenty-eight October, former ANC regional treasurer Suliman Carrim was granted one hundred thousand rand bail but remained behind bars. Mncube questions whether this warranted a breaking news alert.
Asset forfeiture order announced
On twenty-nine October, the National Prosecuting Authority's Asset Forfeiture Unit announced a provisional restraint order over assets estimated at ninety-nine million rand linked to Joe Ferrari Sibanyoni and friends.
Two arrests on the same day
Advocate Andrea Johnson, former head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption, and Feroz Khan, former Crime Intelligence deputy head, were arrested on charges of defeating the ends of justice on the same day.
Both granted bail the same day
Both Johnson and Khan were granted bail on the same day. Mncube argues the police task team could have staggered the arrests and hearings to give readers time to process each development separately.
Proposed Breaking News Coordination Committee
Mncube proposes a National Breaking News Coordination Committee chaired by a retired journalist and staffed by investigators, judges and editors to schedule announcements and spare readers constant alerts.
MK party secretary-general dismissals
Jacob Zuma's MK party has dismissed eight secretaries-general in one thousand and forty-one days since its launch, averaging about one hundred and thirty days each. Mncube calls this scheduled programming rather than news.
Election day and electile dysfunction
Mncube did not vote on four November, describing it as electile dysfunction. He argues no political party promised to steal less money, making none of them electable.
The key point
A columnist says the relentless pace of breaking news alerts about corruption arrests is overwhelming and proposes a National Breaking News Coordination Committee to stagger announcements.
