Johannesburg - The Democratic Alliance on Sunday urged the South African Police Service (SAPS) to provide protection for the so-called SABC 8 journalists reinstated at the broadcaster but who reportedly continue to receive death threats.
“Reports that the SABC 8 continue to be subjected to intimidation and death threats are cause for serious concern,” DA spokeswoman Phumzile van Damme said. “
According to media reports, the SABC 8 are living in fear following a series of sinister incidents and death threats aimed at forcing them to drop their court action against the public broadcaster.”
In September, the SABC 8 advised the Constitutional Court that they intended persisting with their court action because the culture of censorship and fear in the SABC's newsrooms persisted, despite their reinstatement in their jobs.
“It is quite clear that high-powered individuals with interest in the outcome of the court case are behind the death threats,” Van Damme said. As such, the DA would write to the acting National Police Commissioner Khomotso Phahlane requesting that the SABC 8 be given police protection until the court case was finalised.
“When the [parliamentary] ad hoc committee on the SABC meets for the first time on Tuesday, the DA will insist that the parliamentary inquiry into the SABC take place this year still. Parliament cannot go into recess with such serious governance issues plaguing the public broadcaster unresolved,” she said.
The DA would also continue with its court action to have former SABC COO and now group executive of corporate affairs Hlaudi Motsoeneng removed from the SABC.
The case would be heard on November 23 and 24.
“It is a sad day when journalists are intimidated for fighting for the constitutional right to report the news without fear and intimidation.
All of South Africa should be outraged by the terrorising of our journalists,” Van Damme said.
African News Agency