The Labour Court is expected to decide early this week‚ possibly on Monday‚ whether to grant an interdict to set aside the dismissal of four journalists who opposed controversial editorial “censorship” policies at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
The four journalists – Foeta Krige‚ Suna Venter‚ Jacques Steenkamp and Krivani Pillay – were notified by email of their dismissal for failing to comply with the broadcaster’s policies.
They were among staff who spoke out against a decision by chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng to ban news coverage of violent protests.
The Independent Communications Authority of South African (Icasa) has already ordered the SABC to reverse its decision to ban footage of destructive protests.
Solidarity chief executive Dirk Hermann said last week that the SABC should welcome the journalists back to work after the Icasa ruling. They approached the court to set aside their dismissals on Friday.
“We are extremely disappointed that the SABC still wants to carry on with the case. It is now common cause that the instruction to exercise censorship was unlawful. It follows that all actions arising from it would also be unlawful‚” he said.
“The right thing to do‚ morally and juristically‚ would be to welcome back the journalists at work and to allow them to inform the public about news events especially regarding the upcoming local government elections‚” he said.
Court to decide on fate of axed SABC journalists
The four journalists – Foeta Krige‚ Suna Venter‚ Jacques Steenkamp and Krivani Pillay – were notified by email of their dismissal for failing to comply with the broadcaster’s policies.
They were among staff who spoke out against a decision by chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng to ban news coverage of violent protests.
The Independent Communications Authority of South African (Icasa) has already ordered the SABC to reverse its decision to ban footage of destructive protests.
Solidarity chief executive Dirk Hermann said last week that the SABC should welcome the journalists back to work after the Icasa ruling. They approached the court to set aside their dismissals on Friday.
“We are extremely disappointed that the SABC still wants to carry on with the case. It is now common cause that the instruction to exercise censorship was unlawful. It follows that all actions arising from it would also be unlawful‚” he said.
“The right thing to do‚ morally and juristically‚ would be to welcome back the journalists at work and to allow them to inform the public about news events especially regarding the upcoming local government elections‚” he said.
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