South Africa's ruling party has softened controversial plans for a media appeals tribunal to allow the press to reform its self-regulatory watchdogs, reports said on Monday. Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said the African National Congress (ANC), which is pushing for the tribunal to punish bad reporting, will allow space for the outcome of a review by the press industry of its internal controls. 'If the process of reviewing the self-regulatory mechanisms produces mechanisms that can address the concerns about its shortcomings, we see no difficulty in accepting that right product, whatever it is,' the Star newspaper quoted Motlanthe as saying. 'So, we are in a sense allowing the space for the media to attend to that challenge.' Motlanthe was speaking at a meeting between government and the South African National Editors Forum, aimed at thrashing out challenges facing the controversial proposal that will seek legal penalties for bad reporting. Tensions have risen over the tribunal plans and a separate Protection of Information Bill which have sparked fears from local and international media groups of threats to press freedoms. South Africa's Press Council is currently reviewing the industry's self- controls, including a press ombudsman and appeals panel, which the ANC has described as ineffective. 