As World Press Freedom Day is celebrated on Monday, the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has called on political leaders not to interfere in newsroom matters.
Sanef says it is concerned about the continued utterances from senior political leaders, naming journalists and interfering in the operations of newsrooms.
SANEF is concerned about the continued utterances from senior political leaders naming journalists & interfering in the operations of newsrooms – the heart of the media freedom bulwark. https://t.co/opSY2WEEYr @sbungalwa@nwabisa_mak@hlatseentle@MaryPapayya@AIP_RSA@Waarheid
— SANEF (@SAEditorsForum) May 2, 2021
The forum says it has noted comments made by the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) Mbuyiseni Ndlozi on social media, accusing SABC Editor in Chief Phatiswa Magopeni of a “ruthless reign” and alleging that economics editor Thandeka Gqubule-Mbeki was pushed out.
Gqubule-Mbeki tendered her resignation on Friday.
BREAKING. Thandeka Gqubule-Mbeki, SABC economics editor, resigns after facing disciplinary hearing over her behaviour during the SABC’s retrenchment process: “I resign in protest against the numerous governance, policy breaches and tolerance for outright fraud and corruption”. pic.twitter.com/IcLGTuA8Zf
— TVwithThinus (@TVwithThinus) April 30, 2021
Sanef says Ndlozi also suggested the SABC is “killed” by the ruling party.
It says such statements cannot be tolerated.
The SABC management has successfully pushed out Thandeka Gqubule. There is no doubt that Sophie Mokoena is next in line
These two women were the only stumbling opposition block to Phathiswa’s ruthless reign which seeks to turn the SABC newsroom into an ENCA Lite. ANC killed SABC
— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) May 1, 2021
