How safe are our journalists?
MILPARK – Mugging of SABC TV crew highlights industry challenges.
The mugging of the SABC TV crew during a live television crossing outside Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg is a highlight of the challenges facing the media industry.
This is according to SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago who said though it was an unfortunate incident, this was a general safety problem facing the industry.
On 10 March, four of the SABC employees were mugged on camera when their contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko was preparing to do a live interview for the arrival of Zambian President Edgar Lungu at Milpark Hospital.
The video shows the three muggers in full view of the camera and easily identifiable.
Kganyago said a case has been opened.
“What happened to our journalists is an industry problem and it does not only affect the SABC,” Kganyago said.
“All we have to do as an industry is to look at ways of protecting our journalists,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Congress of the People (Cope) has condemned the mugging of the SABC reporters.
“We must say we are very grateful that they are still alive. It could have been worse,” said Cope Spokesperson Dennis Bloem.
“Congress of the People calls on the police to leave no stone unturned to put these monsters behind bars. They are a danger and menace to us and must be removed from society,” Bloem said.
Last month, a reporter and photographer from Beeld newspaper were also hijacked by a group of protesters while covering a protest story in Majakaneng.
