SABC 8 Press Release
27 March 2017
The SABC 8 note with respect the Constitutional Court's decision to dismiss our case for direct access. In doing so the Court did not pronounce on the merits of our application, but instead held that it lacked jurisdiction to deal with it.
Even before receiving the Constitutional Court's order, we had already reached a consensus decision to withdraw the application following, amongst other developments, the adoption of the ad hoc committee's recommendations by parliament and our attorney had written to the respondents attorneys to notify them of our intention to withdraw.
We believe that the Constitutional Court case, and overwhelming public support we received, were the essential reasons for the appointment of the ad hoc committee.
The SABC 8 wishes to thank civil society, and the ordinary public who have stood ready by our side from day one to take the battle for an independent newsroom as far as it has to go - and rest assured the battle has not been abandoned.