A dozen journalists staged a walkout ahead of a breakfast briefing with Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini in Polokwane on Thursday.
Dlamini was billed to address the media on issues relating to the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grants payment system. The breakfast briefing was scheduled for 10am at The Protea Hotel Ranch Resort in Polokwane. However journalists who were made to wait for more than two hours walked out in protest over the unexplained delay in Dlamini's arrival.
Dlamini's spokewoman‚ Lumka Oliphant‚ who was present at the venue did not bother to explain to journalists why Dlamini was late.
Some journalists complained that they had travelled from Johannesburg and made an effort to arrive at the event on time.
When spokeswoman at the provincial social development department Adele van der Linde came outside to inquire why people were leaving‚ a female journalist told her that people felt disrespected as there was no explanation given for the delay.
This is not the first time there was drama at a media briefing involving Dlamini's department. In March Dlamini got into a heated exchange with eNCA reporter Karyn Maughan after she asked questions in relation to former Sassa CEO Thokozani Magwaza.
- SowetanLIVE
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