Johannesburg - As the SABC comes under fire by the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) for its conduct, the national broadcaster’s acting chief executive has resigned from his position with immediate effect.
On Monday morning, SABC acting group chief executive Jimi Matthews posted his resignation letter on social media, explaining the SABC’s climate had become too “corrosive” to remain in his position.
“For many months, I have compromised the values that I hold dear under the mistaken belief that I could be more effective inside the SABC than outside, passing comment from the sidelines. In the process the prevailing, corrosive atmosphere has impacted negatively on my moral judgement and has made me complicit in many decisions which I am not proud of... What is happening at the SABC is wrong and I can no longer be a part of it,” he wrote.
The resignation comes just days after three top SABC journalists were placed on suspension for objecting to a decision to not cover a protest on censorship last week.
Last week, Right2Know led protests against SABC management in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg, petitioning the ban on protest coverage and recent editorial policies implemented last month allowing COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng the final say on editorial decisions.
The three top SABC journalists were suspended after questioning a decision to not cover Right2Know protest , prompting other employees at the national broadcaster to protest their suspensions on social media.
On Facebook, a number of employees had replaced their profile pictures with images of themselves with black tape over their mouths.
Sanef said on Friday it was shocked by the suspension of economics editor, Thandeka Gqubule, RSG executive producer Foeta Krige and senior journalist Suna Venter.
“Sanef urges the SABC to immediately lift the suspensions of these journalists. Journalists in a constitutional democracy have a right to express themselves freely.
Sanef will write to the SABC to insist that it must respect the rights to freedom of thought and expression of journalists,” it said.
Meanwhile, Sanef has also noted with concern the dismissal of eight ANN7 employees.
In a statement issued on Monday, Sanef said it noted with concern that the journalists were fired allegedly after objecting to being named as parties to a company letter to four banks that had revoked banking services to the television station’s owners, Oakbay Holdings.
The employees had been part of a group protesting a supposedly mandatory meeting at the company with ANC Youth League President, Collen Maine.
“Staff reportedly said they felt it inappropriate to be caught up in the company’s corporate and political battles,” the Sanef statement read. Alongside the eight dismissals, 12 other employees received final written warnings while eleven others were served with regular warnings.
“Sanef will request a meeting with ANN7 editor-in-chief Moegsien Williams. Labour matters are firmly in the purview of individual employees, but this case revolves around freedom of association and independent journalism. The staff were in different instances charged with intimidation and insubordination. One staff member faced a charge for calling into a radio station to protest the Maine meeting on air. Sanef believes the staff members all have a right to appeal,” the statement continued.
Attempts to contact Williams on Monday morning for comment were unsuccessful by the time of publication. However, media reports at the weekend showed Oakbay had confirmed the dismissals, but they refused to discuss what the disciplinary processes concerned.
“There has been an internal disciplinary process due to gross misconduct by staff. However, we do not comment on staff issues or disciplinary processes,” the company’s corporate communications told Media24 on Saturday.
Sanef acknowledged that the week had been a “tough” one for journalists, as alongside the dismissals, there were seven incidents of violence and intimidation against journalists recorded in the past week’s Tshwane protests; two of which related to police officers being in contravention of standing orders on the rights of the media.
The Star