Update on the SABC 8

The attorneys for the SABC 8, Norton Rose Fulbright, have advised the Constitutional Court that the SABC 8 intend persisting with their application to the Constitutional Court.

While seven of the SABC 8 have been reinstated and while the SABC has purported to accept that the Protest Policy is unlawful, the SABC 8 are of the view that the unlawful conduct at the SABC continue to persist. In a further supplementary affidavit, the SABC 8 highlight that:

1. The SABC and the Minister of Communications have continued to defend the Policy;
2. the culture of censorship at the SABC continues;
3. the culture of fear in the newsroom persists; and
4. they offered to make a presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Communications regarding the issues at the SABC, but the Portfolio Committee met without giving the SABC 8 an opportunity to present to the Portfolio Committee.

The Portfolio Committee refused to engage in a proper investigation into the issues at the SABC and the SABC 8 is requesting the Constitutional Court to declare that the National Assembly and the Portfolio Committee breached their obligations in terms of section 55 (2) of the Constitution to ensure that the SABC is accountable to the National Assembly and to maintain oversight over the SABC.

The SABC 8 is therefore also requesting the Constitutional Court to direct the National Assembly, within one month of the court’s order, to institute an enquiry into the various issues raised by them.

For rurther information, read the Second Supplementary Affadavit and Amended Notice of Motion.

For further information please contact:

Rachel Lailey, content manager, Africa
Tel +27 11 685 8624 | Mob +27 83 730 2000
Rachel.lailey@nortonrosefulbright.com

Claire Marais, communications officer, Africa
Tel +27 11 685 8565; Mob +27 82 813 6909
claire.marais@nortonrosefulbright.com

Notes for editors:

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For more information about Norton Rose Fulbright, see nortonrosefulbright.com/legal-notices.

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