GENEVIEVE QUINTAL
The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) has commended acting SABC chief executive Jimi Matthews on his stance to resign from the public broadcaster.
Matthews resigned from the SABC yesterday. In his resignation letter‚ which he posted on Twitter‚ he admitted to being “complicit in many decisions which I am not proud of.
For many months I have compromised the values I hold dear under the mistaken belief that I could be more effective inside the SABC than outside‚ passing comment from the sidelines. In the process‚ the prevailing‚ corrosive atmosphere has impacted negatively on my moral judgment and has made me complicit in many decisions‚ which I am not proud of”, he wrote.
“Matthews was at least on paper the most senior official of the corporation. That he feels there is a corrosive atmosphere that he as the CEO cannot do anything about speaks volumes about corporate governance within the SABC‚” Sanef members said in a statement.
“The SABC is an asset of the South African public as a whole and that it is being turned into a state broadcaster that only serves the interests of the ruling party is wrong and must be condemned.”
In June alone‚ visuals of violent incidents were banned‚ staff were told not to use stories that spoke ill of President Jacob Zuma‚ and three staff members who expressed a dissenting opinion on these issues were suspended.
It was the public that was short-changed by this misuse of state resources and it was the public in the end who needed to ensure it fulfilled its constitutional role as the public broadcaster.
“We call on the leadership of the SABC to urgently reverse its decision to censor the news and allow its journalists to work in a free environment that does not compromise their ethics‚” Sanef said.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) welcomed the “principled” stance taken by Matthews.
“The resignation should be seen as the latest indicator of continuing administrative and governance decay at the SABC following last week’s suspension of three media workers at the public broadcaster‚” spokesman Alex Mashilo said in a statement. The SACP called on the SABC board to make its stance known on these developments which it said was “tantamount to the worst perversion and destruction of some of the most fundamental principles of public broadcasting”.
The IFP expressed concern at Matthews resignation. “We fear more key people of the calibre of Mr Matthews will also be leaving as they are being instructed to compromise on the journalistic values they hold so dear.”
The party has called on Communications Minister Faith Muthambi and the board to act on the unfolding crisis at the broadcaster.
Matthews lauded for resigning from SABC
The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) has commended acting SABC chief executive Jimi Matthews on his stance to resign from the public broadcaster.
Matthews resigned from the SABC yesterday. In his resignation letter‚ which he posted on Twitter‚ he admitted to being “complicit in many decisions which I am not proud of.
For many months I have compromised the values I hold dear under the mistaken belief that I could be more effective inside the SABC than outside‚ passing comment from the sidelines. In the process‚ the prevailing‚ corrosive atmosphere has impacted negatively on my moral judgment and has made me complicit in many decisions‚ which I am not proud of”, he wrote.
“Matthews was at least on paper the most senior official of the corporation. That he feels there is a corrosive atmosphere that he as the CEO cannot do anything about speaks volumes about corporate governance within the SABC‚” Sanef members said in a statement.
“The SABC is an asset of the South African public as a whole and that it is being turned into a state broadcaster that only serves the interests of the ruling party is wrong and must be condemned.”
In June alone‚ visuals of violent incidents were banned‚ staff were told not to use stories that spoke ill of President Jacob Zuma‚ and three staff members who expressed a dissenting opinion on these issues were suspended.
It was the public that was short-changed by this misuse of state resources and it was the public in the end who needed to ensure it fulfilled its constitutional role as the public broadcaster.
“We call on the leadership of the SABC to urgently reverse its decision to censor the news and allow its journalists to work in a free environment that does not compromise their ethics‚” Sanef said.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) welcomed the “principled” stance taken by Matthews.
“The resignation should be seen as the latest indicator of continuing administrative and governance decay at the SABC following last week’s suspension of three media workers at the public broadcaster‚” spokesman Alex Mashilo said in a statement. The SACP called on the SABC board to make its stance known on these developments which it said was “tantamount to the worst perversion and destruction of some of the most fundamental principles of public broadcasting”.
The IFP expressed concern at Matthews resignation. “We fear more key people of the calibre of Mr Matthews will also be leaving as they are being instructed to compromise on the journalistic values they hold so dear.”
The party has called on Communications Minister Faith Muthambi and the board to act on the unfolding crisis at the broadcaster.
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