MUST READ: SABC fires suspended journalists
JOBURG - Four SABC journalists who were recently suspended for speaking out about the controversial editorial policies of the cooperation were fired tonight.
Foeta Krige, Suna Venter, Jacques Steenkamp and Krivani Pillay were informed that they have been dismissed at 19:00 tonight, said Anton van der Bijl, who is currently representing the four journalists in the Labour Court.
Van der Bijl of Solidarity added,”the SABC did not give us the reason for their dismissal except that the journalists did not respond to certain calls from the SABC, to provide reasons why they should not be dismissed.”
Jacques Steenkamp told Northcliff Melville Times that he would prefer not to speak about the dismissal at this stage. He referred NMT to Van der Bijl.
This comes after the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) ordered the SABC to reverse its decision to ban footage of destructive protests.
The SABC said in a press statement that it won’t comment publicly on the dismissals.
Twitter erupted immediately with responses to the news:
Keep @krivpillay @JacqueSteenkamp @sunav and @foetakrige in your thoughts tonight. Brave people with families who lost their jobs. #SABC
— Adriaan Basson (@AdriaanBasson) July 18, 2016
I've been taking part in SABC programmes from time to time – like on Sunday night. No longer, unless it reinstates fired journos #SABC
— Max du Preez (@MaxduPreez) July 18, 2016
One unintended consequence of the 4 SABC journalists being spuriously fired is that the direct access request to the con court may look good
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) July 18, 2016
We have allowed Hlaudi Motsoeneng to do as he please at the SABC and now he has fired journalists. His reign will soon come tumbling down.
— Themba Sepotokele (@themba_s16) July 18, 2016
where are the rest of the SABC workers. Their silence is too loud and echoes support to Hlaudi for regular salary increases.
— Mavun'engalimanga (@MluMatebese) July 18, 2016
Defying the Public Protector & ICASA wasn't enough for #Hlaudi.He 's decided to fire #SABC journalists who stood for what they believe in.
— Charlie Langa (@CharlieLanga) July 18, 2016
The decision to dismiss the journalists appears to be a continuation of what can only be described as a brutal exercise of power @ the SABC
— SANEF (@SAEditorsForum) July 18, 2016
