Solidarity slams SABC’s ‘delaying tactics’

SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng File picture: Motshwari Mofokeng

SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng File picture: Motshwari Mofokeng

Published Jul 21, 2016

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Johannesburg - Trade union Solidarity says it is dismayed that its Labour Court case against the SABC did not go ahead on Thursday, accusing the broadcaster of delaying tactics.

The union, which is representing four of the seven journalists who were fired for speaking out against the SABC’s censorship policies, was ready to do battle, but within minutes the court proceedings was postponed.

Solidarity CEO Dirk Hermann said it was due to the broadcaster not being prepared.

“Despite the recent Icasa ruling and the High Court judgment yesterday, the SABC has, with their delaying tactics, once again shown its disregard for legal processes in South Africa,” Hermann said

“It would appear as if the SABC is of the opinion that it is above the country’s legal system. Given the SABC’s recent actions we have, however, expected nothing else from the SABC,” he said.

Earlier the judge hearing the SABC matter at the Labour Court also came down very hard on the public broadcaster’s unpreparedness in court.

Before the matter could start, Advocate Bantubonke Tokota for the SABC and Advocate Steven Budlender for the fired journalists went to speak to Judge Rob Le Grange in his chambers. There, Tokota asked for a postponement as he had not been able to meet with the SABC management and get some information regarding the case.

Back in court, Le Grange was very scathing on the manner in which the SABC had conducted themselves despite the fact that they knew that there was a court case looming.

“Your client needs to know the business of court comes first; your clients needs to realise that. I find it difficult to understand that your client could not avail themselves to give your information,” he said.

Le Grange went on to say that the SABC should have anticipated what would follow after dismissing Suna Venter, Foeta Krige, Jacques Steenkamp and Krivani Pillay on Monday.

He also said the SABC must submit an answering affidavit in a draft form by 7pm on Thursday and that the journalist file replying papers by 10am on Friday and

the matter was postponed to Friday at 12.30.

Hermann said his union would not let itself be deterred by the SABC.

“We will continue to fight so justice will prevail for those journalists,” he said.

While SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng has been stubborn in conceding that he went too far when ordering the broadcaster to no longer show violent footage, on Wednesday the high court in Pretoria interdicted the SABC from continuing with the ban.

Labour Bureau

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