CT editor fired for 'not meeting targets'?

10 Dec 2013

NEWSWATCH: Independent group chair Iqbal Survé has denied that former Cape Times editor Alide Dasnois was removed because of an editorial stance, and implied that she was axed for not meeting financial targets; not all the staff are buying it, reports Mail & Guardian, which also reports that the new editor, Gasant Abarder, is alleged (by EWN) to have 'absconded' from his position at Primedia Broadcasting (which owns EWN).

(Image extracted from Sanef website)

For more:

Mail & Guardian: Survé claims Dasnois axed for not meeting targets... Survé is reported to have denied that former Cape Times editor Alide Dasnois was removed because of an editorial stance, but rather because she was not fulfilling her fiduciary responsibilities to ensure the newspaper's financial performance.
One might ask, however... Why the rush?
Strangely, Dasnois' removal from office just happened to coincide with the newspaper publishing a front-page article on Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's very unflattering findings on fisheries minister Joemat-Pettersson's performance - which, if the PP's verdict is valid, has been thoroughly underwhelming.
According to Mail & Guardian, "a source within the newspaper, who spoke to the Mail & Guardian on condition of anonymity [that seems to be a very wise move in the circumstances], said: 'It is directly in response to the story. Whether it is a long-term plan or not, we don't know. What sparked this was Friday's paper.'''
So Alide Dasnois' dismissal had nothing to do with the fact that the Cape Times carried an article on Friday on the PP's thoroughtly unflattering findings on Tina Joemat-Pettersson? Well, I'm relieved, aren't you? (Image: GCIS)
So it seems that perhaps not even they're buying it.
And adding grist to the mill...
Mail & Guardian: EWN claims Abarder 'absconded' to Cape Times post... Also according to a Mail & Guardian report, EWN has claimed that Gasant Abarder "absconded" from his position as its Cape Town news editor to replace Alide Dasnois.
It's reported that though he had actually resigned last month, things must have moved very quickly indeed on Friday since he's reported to have sent an email to management basically along the lines of "I don't know what you're going to do without me, but starting Monday, give it a go".
Nice... Usually employees work out their notice period, unless by mutual agreement with their employer they can leave earlier.
The truth always has a way of getting out... Be it Travelgate, Guptagate, Nkandlagate, and any other "gate' you wish to think of, so eventually we will know for certain whether what we have been told here is the truth, or whether the real truth is actually something very different; either way, we'll get a good handle on how much trust we can put in the word of some people.

Rod Baker

About Rod Baker

Rod Baker is Content Director at Bizcommunity.com. A journalist since before computers, he worked on a wide range of magazines and, in his youth, rose through the ranks from being a lowly and abused sub-editor, to a high and still abused editor and publisher. He has been editor and publisher of a number of magazines, as well as a newspaper. He has edited many books, and written a number too. Email him at moc.ytinummoczib@dor.