Criticism is pouring in for the SABC’s “draconian” axing of seven journalists‚ with the SA Communist Party (SACP) expressing solidarity with them‚ and at least two lobby groups calling for a government investigation.
The national broadcaster fired Foeta Krige‚ Suna Venter‚ Krivani Pillay and Jacques Steenkamp on Monday‚ while Thandeka Gqubule‚ Busisiwe Ntuli and Lukhanyo Calata got their marching orders on Tuesday.
Contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko‚ the most senior of the so-called SABC8 was still waiting to hear his fate by early Tuesday evening.
The SACP‚ in a statement‚ slammed the dismissals as a “draconian editorial decree by the bosses without regard to due democratic public consultation“.
The party pledged to find ways to‚ “actively express its solidarity with the affected workers and deepen the struggle to save the SABC?” although it didn’t mention any specific steps it intended to take.
The Organisation Against Tax Abuse (Outa) called for an urgent investigation by Minister of Communication Faith Muthambi into the conduct of leadership at the public broadcaster.
“By dismissing these journalists‚ the SABC’s autocratic leadership will simply engender more fear and cause less inclusiveness to critical internal discussion and debate‚” said Outa chairman Wayne Duvenage.
He suggested that the ministerial investigation also probe the SABC’s finances. “We want to know why the SABC has placed its treasurer‚ Arrie Thomas and chief financial controller Petra Campher‚ on ‘special leave’ after they had warned the organisation was facing severe financial problems and will be out of cash by November 2016‚ failing some degree of external intervention‚” said Duvenage.
The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) on Tuesday reiterated its earlier call for National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete to convene an urgent meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Communications to deal with the “crisis” at the SABC.
“Parliament is once again failing to exercise its constitutional responsibilities to hold the executive and the SABC board to account. The rebuke the National Assembly recently received from the Constitutional Court ruling in the Nkandla matter appears to have fallen on deaf ears‚” the council said in a statement.
Criticism mounts over 'draconian' SABC sackings
The national broadcaster fired Foeta Krige‚ Suna Venter‚ Krivani Pillay and Jacques Steenkamp on Monday‚ while Thandeka Gqubule‚ Busisiwe Ntuli and Lukhanyo Calata got their marching orders on Tuesday.
Contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko‚ the most senior of the so-called SABC8 was still waiting to hear his fate by early Tuesday evening.
The SACP‚ in a statement‚ slammed the dismissals as a “draconian editorial decree by the bosses without regard to due democratic public consultation“.
The party pledged to find ways to‚ “actively express its solidarity with the affected workers and deepen the struggle to save the SABC?” although it didn’t mention any specific steps it intended to take.
The Organisation Against Tax Abuse (Outa) called for an urgent investigation by Minister of Communication Faith Muthambi into the conduct of leadership at the public broadcaster.
“By dismissing these journalists‚ the SABC’s autocratic leadership will simply engender more fear and cause less inclusiveness to critical internal discussion and debate‚” said Outa chairman Wayne Duvenage.
He suggested that the ministerial investigation also probe the SABC’s finances. “We want to know why the SABC has placed its treasurer‚ Arrie Thomas and chief financial controller Petra Campher‚ on ‘special leave’ after they had warned the organisation was facing severe financial problems and will be out of cash by November 2016‚ failing some degree of external intervention‚” said Duvenage.
The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) on Tuesday reiterated its earlier call for National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete to convene an urgent meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Communications to deal with the “crisis” at the SABC.
“Parliament is once again failing to exercise its constitutional responsibilities to hold the executive and the SABC board to account. The rebuke the National Assembly recently received from the Constitutional Court ruling in the Nkandla matter appears to have fallen on deaf ears‚” the council said in a statement.
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