Parliament argues media action is 'opportunistic'

Parliament will ask the Western Cape High Court to strike the media's application about the video feed and signal jamming device from the roll as 'it is opportunistic and interferes with the legislature's independence', Beeld reports. This argument, presented by Jeremy Gauntlett SC, is contained in his heads of argument. The SA National Editors' Forum and some media houses are seeking an order setting aside the parliamentary video recording policy which censors disruptions in the house as well as an order barring the use of signal jamming devices. But Gauntlett argues that the Constitution gives Parliament the right to implement reasonable limitations to the public's and media's access to Parliament. He also claims that the application offends the constitutional independence of Parliament and that the courts should not interfere with the workings of this arm of the state. Gauntlett also challenges the applicants' contention that the matter is urgent.