Media told to report responsibly on Nkandla

Government has called on journalists to report responsibly on President Jacob Zuma's private residence in Nkandla.

Ministers in the security cluster kicked up a new dust storm this week by warning the media that publishing detailed photographs of the residence was illegal.

In response, almost all newspapers published a photograph of Nkandla on their front pages on Friday with one running a headline saying “So - Arrest Us.”

Government has accused the media of misinterpreting the words of the security cluster.

At a briefing on Thursday both Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said publishing the photographs amounted to flouting the law.

Mthethwa said those who continue to do so may be prosecuted while Cwele compared Nkandla to the White House.

But on Friday government said it had no problems with photographs on Nkandla being published as long they don’t reveal the security features.

At the same time, calls continue for the office of the public protector which is investigating how R206 was spent on Nkandla upgrades to be respected.

- EWN