UPDATE: Hlaudi reneges on meeting
AUCKLAND PARK – SABC censorship debate continues to unravel as Hlaudi breaks his promise.
SABC Chief Operating Officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng has reneged on his promise for a meeting with civil society organisations.
Motsoeneng promised to have a meeting with representatives today, 4 July after the #SABCprotest on 1 July. A march was held in solidarity with the three SABC journalists who were suspended and three others who are facing disciplinary action internally. They are: Thandeka Gqubule, Busisiwe Ntuli, Krivani Pillay, Jacques Steenkamp, Foeta Krige and Suna Venter respectively.
The march culminated in a petition with over 5 000 signatures was handed over to the acting court manager at Constitution Hill.
SABC workers who were meant to join the protest were locked inside the building.
According to SOS Coalition, “Because of this, and other reasons, representatives of the SOS Coalition, the Right2Know Campaign, the Media Workers Association of South Africa (MWASA) and their New Trade Union Federation and representatives of the independent media (The Independent Group and Primedia) demanded a meeting with Hlaudi Motsoeneng.”
Motsoeneng then agreed to have a meeting with the above organisations.
The proposed meeting today was to discuss the issues around suspended SABC staff.
According to National Media Freedom and Diversity organiser for the Right2Know Campaign, Micha Reddy, “We were supposed to have a meeting at 12pm. Hlaudi refused to meet with us and we have been locked out of the building.”
The ANC also called for Communications Minister Faith Muthambi to investigate issues surrounding Motsoeneng.
Reddy commented, “It shows just how bad things have gotten for the SABC. The ANC has flip-flopped their decision to stand-by Hlaudi.”
Attempts have been made to contact SABC and ANC and comment is awaited.
