There is a line journalists are expected to tread lightly, the space between reporting and opinion, between presenting the facts and becoming part of the story.

While in mainstream media, that line was clear to me, and I had to respect the rules, whether I agreed with them or not, but there comes a point where experience forces you to look at that line differently.

Today, we published a press release from Beauty Without Cruelty South Africa regarding the McLaren Circus site in Milnerton. It was published verbatim, as press releases are. It reflected a side of a public issue that is clearly gaining traction.

The response was immediate and not unexpected. Once the BWC press release went live, the circus pushed back. I asked one thing only: do you have animals? I invited them to respond properly, with a press release addressing the BWC PR they clearly had an issue with.

They did respond, but with what I see as an advertorial. I made it clear that I would not publish it. Not as a response, and not as advertising. Even paid, I will not carry advertising on Africa InTouch News that sits against my own convictions. If they want to respond, they can do so by addressing the issue at hand, not by trying to reposition it as something else.

This is where I draw the line. In mainstream media, I did not always have that choice. Advertising came through whether I agreed with it or not. Here, I do, and fairness does not mean a free pass. It means equal opportunity to present a position, within the same framework.

Now, this is where the line shifts. As an editor, I will continue to ensure that all relevant parties are given the opportunity to respond, but as a columnist, I am not required to pretend that I do not have a view, especially on an issue that has moved beyond novelty and into ethics, and here is mine: The use of animals in circuses no longer belongs in 2026. This is not a reaction to one press release or one weekend of protests. It is a position shaped over my lifetime, through observation, research, public sentiment, and having to allow advertising in newsprint for this same circus. I hated it at the time. It is also shaped by a growing understanding of what animal welfare should look like in a modern society.

We are no longer in an era where entertainment justifies confinement, regardless of how "humanely" these animals are treated, because there is nothing humane about voiceless, sentient beings kept in cages and made to perform for human entertainment!

The public response to this issue, both locally and globally, reflects that shift. People are no longer comfortable with the idea of animals being transported, contained, and trained for performance. That discomfort is not fringe; it is becoming mainstream. That does not make this a simple issue, and it does not remove the responsibility to report it fairly, but it does allow room for clarity.

So, should I decide to report on this story going forward, I will give all parties the opportunity to respond to my questions, of which my first question will always be about the animals’ welfare, because in this column, and on this platform, I will not pretend neutrality where I have conviction.

You can hold a view and still report the facts.
You can invite response and still draw a line.
You can be fair without being neutral.

The circus has been given the opportunity to respond to the BWC press release, but I will not publish advertising disguised as a response. Both sides will be published properly. After that, I will step in and write an article, and as stated above, my first question will be “Are there animals?”, and all following questions will come from my convictions. Then, once the article is published, you, the reader, can decide exactly where you stand.

Our other publications have their own editors. They write what they need to write and I rarely step in, because they have their own voice and their own convictions.

On Africa InTouch News the responsibility sits with me, and let me state this forthright: We will not carry content that supports the use or exploitation of any sentient being.

I am Anchen Coetzee and I stand with the voiceless. Like it or not, this is my conviction, and on Africa InTouch News, I have the final say. So, send your PR. If there is merit, I will decide what runs.