Johannesburg - Trade union Solidarity plans to take the SABC to court again after the broadcaster cancelled the contract of a senior sports commentator.
The union said on Monday that freelancer Pieter van den Berg’s contract with the public broadcaster was unfairly ended following a racial dispute with a colleague, which took place in May.
Solidarity believes due processes were not followed which would have considered the evidence in the case.
“The issue arose from an outside broadcast of a Super Rugby match in Durban on May 7. Van den Berg had asked a technical controller to perform his duties correctly. The controller arrived late for his call under the influence of alcohol, violating stadium rules and offended other members of staff,” said Johan Kruger, Solidarity deputy general secretary.
“After the incident the controller accused Van den Berg of having made racist comments aimed at him,” said Kruger.
He added that Van den Berg’s account of what happened that day was never considered.
The union said the dismissal proved the SABC’s disregard for the interests of freelancers, which it relied on for content.
Solidarity’s pending court action follows a string of other cases the union has brought against the SABC.
A few months ago the union took the public broadcaster to the Labour Court after it fired eight journalists over their refusal to adhere to a policy that banned the broadcasting of destruction of pubic buildings.
The SABC was forced by the courts to reinstate seven of them.
Labour Bureau