Once the final submissions are made by August 31, the publics input will be consolidated internally and a final draft will go through approval by the board and finally sent to Icasa. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte has said the eight SABC journalists fired this week have every right to challenge their dismissals.
The journalists, dubbed the SABC 8, have taken their dismissals at the broadcaster to the Constitutional Court, filing a supplementary affidavit on Wednesday to have their axings overturned.
The SABC was indicted by the High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday from following through with its policy not to broadcast violent protests, following an application by the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF).
Duarte told News24 that the party respected the journalists’ rights to challenge their employer’s decisions.
“This is a labour matter between the SABC and its employee,” she said on Wednesday.
“The employees have every right to go to the CCMA to take up the issues they are aggrieved about, including the matter of their dismissals.”
However, she would not be drawn on comments reportedly made by party secretary general Gwede Mantashe on Tuesday.
Mantashe reportedly said the dismissals were “wrong”, and journalists should not have to work in a climate of fear, TimesLive reported.
The SABC, meanwhile, has agreed to abide by the Independent Communications Authority of SA’s (Icasa) order to withdraw the ban on broadcasting violent protests, News24 reported.
Icasa spokesperson Paseka Maleka said the broadcaster would abide by the order of its council, as issued on July 11.
SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago told News24 on Wednesday that the SABC could not respond to Icasa’s order within the prescribed seven days until the HSF’s court application was heard in the High Court. – News24