Sanef takes SABC to MPs

01 July 2016 - 08:20 By LEONIE WAGNER

The SA National Editors' Forum will approach parliament regarding the "crisis" at the SABC. Sanef chairman Mpumelelo Mkhabela said presentations would be made to MPs in light of allegations of censorship and disciplinary action taken against six SABC employees."Parliament has a statutory duty to do something from an oversight point of view. It's about time. SABC is ‘losing face’, says Democratic lawyers associationOne is left with an unshakable and frightening impression that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is facing serious operational challenges and losing face as an independent voice‚ says the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADEL)."The SABC should not be allowed to drift further into crisis," Mkhabela said.Journalists and rights groups will gather today outside the broadcaster's Auckland Park offices in Johannesburg and the Sea Point offices in Cape Town wearing black in support of the journalists , now dubbed the "SABC Six".The Johannesburg group will march to Constitution Hill. Organisations such as Sanef, Solidarity and the SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition have said they will support the march.This follows the resignation of SABC acting CEO Jimi Matthews on Monday and the suspension of three staff members last week who disagreed with editorial policy changes.SABC acts against three more journalistsThree senior SABC journalists face internal disciplinary charges for airing their concerns in a letter about the broadcaster's controversial editorial policies‚ reported eNCA on Thursday.The most recent incident involves the disciplinary action launched against Special Assignment executive producer Busisiwe Ntuli, SAfm current affairs executive producer Krivani Pillay and senior investigative reporter Jacques Steenkamp, who sent a letter to SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng raising their "displeasure and increasing concern" over recent developments at the public broadcaster.The letter to Motsoeneng followed the suspension of economics editor Thandeka Gqubule, RSG executive producer Foeta Krige and senior journalist Suna Venter last week.Trade union Solidarity said it would represent all six SABC employees, some of whom are scheduled to attend a disciplinary hearing today .Solidarity CE Dirk Hermann said the union had requested that the disciplinary hearings be postponed to afford the six an opportunity to consult legal representatives...

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