SABC sacks journos via email

FOUR of the eight journalists who were facing disciplinary charges by the SABC, have been sent dismissal letters via email, according to Solidarity, the union that represents them.

Solidarity Labour Court division head Anton van der Bijl said that Krivani Pillay, Foeta Krige, Jacques Steenkamp and Suna Venter were sent emails yesterday evening.

He said in the letter no reason for their dismissal was given:

“We are taking them to the labour court and we are going to fight them with everything we have,” Van der Bijl said.

He said they would be consulting with their legal team, and may launch a personal cost order against the public broadcaster’s chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

The four were taken aback by the decision, Van der Bijl said. “They are rather shell shocked.” Van der Bijl said he wasn’t sure if the other four had been sent dismissal letters, as they are not represented by his union.

SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said dismissal letters had been issued against the journalists, but he couldn’t confirm how many.

“The process has started today, but it is an employee-employer issue,” Kganyago said. “They know why they have been dismissed.”

In June Krige, Venter and Thandeka Gqubule were suspended for objecting to the SABC’s policy of covering protest actions.

Later when Busiswe Ntuli, Pillay, Steenkamp, Lukhanyo Calata and Vuyo Mvoko objected to current practices at the SABC and were charged.

On Friday the group filed affidavits at the Constitutional Court.