ANCYL leader Julius Malema has vowed not to allow the country to be "run by journalists", City Press reported on Sunday.

"If you are not careful of journalists, they will bring down the government. We will never allow this country to be run by journalists," he told a Human Rights Day gathering in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, on Saturday.

He again sang his controversial "Shoot the Boer" song and accused reporters of picking on ANC leaders and prominent black politicians.

He was speaking after President Jacob Zuma on Friday said reports of spying on journalists by government officials created a "totally unacceptable" scenario.

After receiving the newsmaker of the year award by the National Press Club, Zuma said he was concerned about government officials allegedly digging into the personal bank accounts of a City Press investigative reporter.

"What I've heard is actually shocking. We are now investigating journalists, for what?"

Zuma was referring to a group of senior reporters having lodged a complaint against ANCYL spokesman Floyd Shivambu last week.

Shivambu allegedly threatened to expose details of their personal lives when they refused to publish his allegations of money laundering against City Press reporter Dumisane Lubisi.