Just When You Thought It Could Not Get Worse At the SABC
20 July 2016
Over the last two days we have witnessed the kicking out of the SABC of some of its most illustrious and dedicated journalists and media workers.Busisiwe Ntuli, Luciano Calata, Foeta Krige, Suna Venter, Krivani Pillay and Jacques Steenkamp have all been summarily dismissed. Vuyo Mvoko's contract with the corporation has ended and is not being renewed.
Last week, the very same people were awarded the prestigious Nat Nakase award for fearless journalism. This week they have been fired for being just that, and for approaching the Constitutional Court to intervene on their behalf against their arbitrary and senseless dismissals.
What is at stake here is not some small or insignificant workplace dispute. This is a test of strength that if allowed to go unchallenged will most definitely impact on the future of our democracy.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng is a self-confessed President Jacob Zuma acolyte. He owes his position as the now de-facto head of the SABC to those, like him, who will do all that they can to be in the good books of No 1. If President Jacob Zuma is the deity, the God of Patronage, then Hlaudi is his worshipping Emperor.