SABC postpones hearings of suspended employees indefinitely;
Solidarity goes to court to revoke suspensions and test the constitutionality of the censorship instruction
10 July 2016
The SABC postponed the disciplinary hearing of the three suspended employees, Thandeka Gqubule, Foeta Krige and Suna Venter indefinitely. The hearing was due to start on Monday, 11 July. However, the three employees remain suspended. Trade union Solidarity, which represents the three journalists, said the mere postponement of the hearings is not acceptable. According to Solidarity, the disciplinary process must be abolished in its entirety.
Solidarity also announced that it would approach the Constitutional Court in the coming week for direct access to test the constitutionality of the censorship instruction. Also during this week Solidarity would approach the Labour Court to obtain an interdict against the SABC’s disciplinary process, pending the Constitutional Court case.
The SABC laid disciplinary charges against the three employees because they had allegedly distanced themselves from a censorship instruction. Under the instruction no coverage may be given to the Right2Know campaign’s protests against the SABC ban to broadcast violent protest action.