The Unprofessional Elaine King (Knysna-Plett Herald)
The Knysna-Plett Herald (KPH) is journalism for sale. Editor Elaine King’s front page story this week was a continuation of their complicity in the Knysna Municipality’s agenda against the public. When a community newspaper becomes a political mouthpiece, we should be scared.
Do Blue Flag beaches attract tourists? Did the removal of the Blue Flags from Knysna’s beaches affect the impression of our town? I can’t answer and no official has stepped forward to sufficiently explain their value. However, public funds have been used to pursue it so the matter can be addressed from the point of accountability. That extends to Mayor Eleonore Spies‘ main election promise of communication which has made a liar of her and further damaged the credibility of Knysna Municipality.
GOVERNMENT PALS FIRST, PUBLIC SAFETY LAST?
On January 3 2017, the KPH stated how wonderful our Blue Flags were whilst ignoring the disturbing comments below. They continued to ignore the public’s warning when the Blue Flags were removed. They also ignored my blogging on the matter. Instead, they published an unaccredited article that told the public nothing. Acting Municipal Manager Johnny Douglas was quoted positively.
Their header was ‘Blue Flags to Fly Again Soon’. The Municipality’s press release’s was ‘Blue Flags to Fly High Again’.
The KPH did nothing to stop me being attacked by Democratic Alliance-linked cyberstalkers which included Councillor Martin Young. The goal was only to discredit me whilst completely ignoring the Blue Flag topic and my questions about it. The KPH eventually posted a comment about moderation but kept the hate speech whilst deleting my question asking why they weren’t moderating.
I responded with ‘Deep in the Blue Mud’.
EVIL JOURNALISM
Elaine King
On January 12, King’s positive front page again ignored the Municipality’s obvious failures. She took an unprofessional, egotistical and unsubstantiated swipe at bloggers. When looking at the many Blue Flag rules the Municipality broke, it must be asked why she did so? The KPH gave loyalty to their financially-beneficial relationship with the DA-led Municipality instead of concerned citizens and their public safety.
I was told that the Municipality and WESSA were siding with a few rich people over the regular beach going public. I never believed it, thinking it personality politics. But i may have been wrong…
It was worrying that a senior WESSA official lied to me, choosing government over the public. He emphatically stated to me that boats were not an issue and that he had no knowledge of there being a 100->-200m distance safety rule. It was surely both lie and absurd? He compromised the integrity of WESSA so i’m reporting him in the hope the organisation that i admire believes in integrity too.
The Knysna-Plett Herald’s actions will be added to my always growing case against them.
The only comfort is that every Wednesday, 6 days after their weekly release, there are piles of unsold copies all over town. I wonder what they tell their advertisers…