Media Advisory
26 November 2015
Media Accreditation for the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) closed
South Africa, as co-chair of FOCAC, will host the Johannesburg Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 4 to 5 December 2015. The theme for the summit is: “Africa-China Progressing Together: Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development”.
The summit will be preceded by the Senior Officials’ Meeting on 2 December and the Sixth Ministerial Conference on 3 December. Both these meetings will take place at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Pretoria.
The following accreditation process will apply:
Venues and dates:
- Ditsong Museum (cnr Bosman and Visagie streets, Pretoria): 28 November to 3 December 2015
- Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel (cnr Rivonia Road and West Street, Sandton, Johannesburg): 28 November to 4 December 2015.
Required documents to accompany application form:
- a copy of a valid professional press card or equivalent identification (ID/Passport)
- a letter of assignment on a letterhead from the journalist’s organisation, indicating his / her function.
NB: It is also advisable to carry hard copies of all the required documents in case of any necessary security checks.
Accreditation will close on 4 December 2015
Passports and visas:
Members of the media from those countries exempted from visa requirements to South Africa need not apply for visas.
All other applicants must comply with the South African visa requirements.
Journalists should contact the nearest South African Diplomatic or Consular Mission to request a South African visa.
Yellow fever certificates will be required at the ports of entry for journalists travelling from yellow fever-designated countries.
Customs clearance for media equipment:
Accredited media personnel bringing technical equipment with them to South Africa will be subject to full customs control. Therefore, journalists are requested to send their lists of equipment (two copies) together with their application for accreditation.
Journalists bringing in heavy equipment that will require space outside of the plenary halls will need to relay this information before 2 December 2015 to the following officials:
Ms Rhandzu Hlungwani (hlungwanir@dirco.gov.za) or Ms Tercia Malepane (malepanet@dirco.gov.za).
Media facilities:
Access to media facilities will be available only to accredited media representatives. Accreditation is open to bona fide journalists, broadcasters, photographers, film and television camera crews and technicians.
A Media Centre, with facilities for print, online and electronic media, will be available at the summit venue.
A general work area will be provided at the Media Centre. The work area will be equipped with work desks, where laptops and printers can be plugged in. PCs with Microsoft Windows packages will also be available.
The PCs will provide free Internet access (Wi-Fi).
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) services are available at the Media Centre.
Media coverage of the summit:
A pooling system will be used for this summit. The objective of the media pools is to assist with the management of the number of media to be allowed in a certain area, taking into consideration space limitations.
The media will need to apply to be part of the pools available by completing an application form.
The opening and closing sessions during the meetings are open to journalists, depending on availability of space within the meeting rooms. Media practitioners will be informed of how to enter the plenary halls in the following ways:
- guidelines will be circulated to all media on the database of FOCAC and uploaded on the website
- regular announcements via the PA System in the Media Centre.
Journalists are advised to make sure they arrive at the venue in good time so as to clear all entry security procedures before the meetings start and to register to be part of the pool.
Live streaming:
Open sessions of the summit and related meetings will be streamed live on www.focac2015jhb.com. These feeds will be available through the Media Centre.
Telephones and faxes:
Telephone facilities will be available on a commercial basis.
Television and radio:
Facilities for satellite feeds can be booked in advance by contacting:
Ms Patience Mtshali at mtshalip@dirco.gov.za / Mr Sias Scott at scotts@sabc.co.za
Accommodation:
Accommodation will be on self-arrangement basis. Journalists are advised to make their bookings early to avoid last-minute inconvenience. A list of Pretoria and Johannesburg hotels is available on the FOCAC website (www.focac2015jhb.com).
Enquiries: Mr Nelson Kgwete, 076 431 3078
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
Rietondale
Pretoria
0084
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