The call comes from trade union Solidarity who says Motsoeneng should be the subject of an investigation into his ability to manage the SABC. The call comes after the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) ruled against the SABC’s decision not to broadcast violent audio and visual material about protest actions. In addition, the SABC must withdraw retrospectively the instruction not to broadcast violence and provide Icasa with feedback within seven days.
Earlier the Daily Maverick’s Ranjeni Munusamy wrote Motsoeneng is moulding his own brand of political indoctrination out of the worst models of propaganda in history and taking media freedom hostage as he does so comparing it to Adolf Hitler’s chief attack dog Joseph Goebbels who directed the propaganda machinery of the Nazis to acquire total power and control the minds of an entire nation.
According to Solidarity Chief Executive Dr Dirk Hermann, Solidarity welcomes the recent Icasa ruling agains the ANC’s attack dog Motsoeneng.“The ruling proves that the SABC, under the guidance of Hlaudi Motsoeneng, did not act within the framework of the Constitution. We therefore request that all charges against the suspended SABC employees be withdrawn and that Hlaudi Motsoeneng be removed from his position as chief operating officer of the SABC immediately, pending an investigation,” Hermann said.
Hermann furthermore added that Icasa’s ruling against the SABC was a victory for the principle of freedom of speech. “This ruling is a victory for the ethical SABC journalists who, despite unlawful instructions and intimidation, stood up for constitutional principles,” Hermann said.
Solidarity announced earlier that it would approach the Constitutional Court to dispute the constitutionality of the suspension of the three SABC journalists, Foeta Krige, Suna Venter and Thandeka Gqubule. Krige, Venter and Gqubule were suspended in June after voicing their objections at a press meeting against the instruction not to report on protests of the Right2Know Campaign against SABC censorship. Solidarity represents all three journalists.
