Communications union Bemawu wants the government to explain why members of the South African Defence Force (SANDF) were allegedly allowed inside the SABC’s headquarters in Auckland Park.
The union’s president Hannes du Buisson said the presence of soldiers could create an atmosphere of fear and raises concerns of possible interference with the public broadcaster’s news operations.
However, the SABC confirmed over the weekend that soldiers have been stationed at its offices in Johannesburg and Durban in the wake of last month’s anarchy.
During the violence, several media outlets and journalists came under attack while covering the wide-spread looting and destruction.
The SABC has dismissed what it calls misleading allegations -about the presence of the defence force.
Group executive of corporate affairs and marketing Gugu Ntuli said: “So, while the SABC has no evidence that the SANDF was in fact in their newsroom, the public broadcaster would like to make it clear that any presence of the SANDF in the newsroom would be unacceptable and not in line with the SABC’s public policy as its editorial policy.”
-EWN
In other news – Another blow: Somizi replaced by DJ Tira
Local footwear brand Bathu is the latest company to give media personality Somizi Mhlongo a wide berth amid allegations of abuse by his estranged husband Mohale Motaung.
The publication has learnt that the sneaker makers had a meeting with Mhlongo this week that resulted in his absence from their 28th store opening at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Learn More