Hlaudi 'must pay SABC Eight's bill'

15 Nov 2016

The two trade unions which represented SABC journalists fired for criticising editorial decisions at the public broadcaster want former chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng to personally pay for the legal costs of their Labour Court application.

Solidarity and the Broadcasting, Electronic Media and Allied Workers Union served Motsoeneng with papers on Monday regarding the cost order awarded by the Labour Court in Johannesburg in July.

The journalists, known as the SABC Eight, were fired earlier this year for challenging a blanket ban on broadcasting footage of violent protests. They challenged their employer in the Labour Court and were reinstated, all except Vuyo Mvoko, who is a freelancer.

The head of Solidarity's centre for fair labour practices, Anton van der Bijl, said Motsoeneng had to "carry the can" for the decision to dismiss the journalists.

"Solidarity is requesting that Motsoeneng gives oral evidence in court. Although [SABC acting group executive, news and current affairs] Simon Tebele ultimately carried out the instruction to dismiss the journalists, it is argued that Motsoeneng was the person who gave the instruction," he said.

The journalists are proceeding with their Constitutional Court application against censorship at the SABC.

Meanwhile, the Department of Communications says it is satisfied with the work it has done over the past year, despite facing harsh criticism over the crisis at some of its entities, particularly the SABC.

Communications Minister Faith Muthambi is responsible for the department, the Government Communication and Information System, as well as five entities - Brand SA, the Films and Publications Board, the Independent Communications Authority of SA, the SABC and the Media Development and Diversity Agency.

Muthambi's tenure has been dogged by controversy amid suggestions in some quarters that she is largely to blame for the problems at the public broadcaster.

The SABC received an unqualified audit opinion in the 2015-16 financial year and made a loss of R411m.

The appointment of Motsoeneng as the SABC's group executive of corporate affairs in October sparked the current crisis at the broadcaster when two board members abruptly resigned in protest, leaving the board with just three members.

Source: Business Day

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