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SAfrican newspaper debuts denying its ANC agent
AP - Mon Dec 06, 1:14AM CST
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A South African newspaper debuted Monday with denials it is a mouthpiece of the governing African National Congress.

The New Age owners are seen as close to President Jacob Zuma. In a front-page note to readers Monday, editor Henry Jeffreys said his paper will, "generally, support the government of the day" but would expose bad government.

The paper arrives amid debate in South Africa about what are seen as attempts by the ANC to muzzle the press, including creating a tribunal controlled by politicians with as-yet undefined powers to punish journalists for infractions that also are unclear. New Age editor Jeffreys says he opposes the tribunal as well as a proposed secrets law that could jail reporters for publishing classified information.

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