‘Our members will soon be back at work’

Solidarity believes it stands a good chance at winning its Labour Court case against the SABC.

Johannesburg - Solidarity believes it stands a good chance at winning its Labour Court case against the SABC.

The court is expected to rule on Monday or Tuesday whether four SABC employees who were fired for questioning the broadcaster’s censorship policies should be allowed to go back to work.

The union has asked the court for an interdict setting aside the dismissals of Foeta Krige, Suna Venter, Krivani Pillay and Jacques Steenkamp.

“We are convinced that our members will soon be back at work to serve the public by providing information to them,” Solidarity chief executive Dirk Hermann said on Sunday.

Judge Rob Lagrange will indicate on Monday morning when he will deliver the judgment.

SABC has fired seven journalists and stopped and refused to “schedule” independent contractor Vuyo Mvoko after they questioned why the broadcaster had put a halt to the airing of violent protests.

Mvoko wants his case to be heard in the high court.

Meanwhile support for the eight staffers is growing, with presenters and reporters staging a silent protest on Friday by dressing in black.

While SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago has denied that it was a protest, NGOs expect SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng to act just as harshly against them as his did their colleagues.

Group Labour Editor