Help us protest the ongoing intimidation at the SABC
The intimidation of SABC employees have reached new levels of violence. On 15 November 2016 Netwerk24 published a timeline of the continued threats against SABC personnel: messages by anonymous SMS’s, break-ins and damage to property. That follows on the Sunday Times report “SABC Eight living in fear after 'kill' threats”, published on 13 November.
These threats against our journalists do not only intimidate individuals, they send a clear message to anyone at the SABC that cowardly, faceless people will not tolerate anyone daring to oppose senior management.
These actions reportedly took place while the threatened suspension of Thulani Msimang has seemingly not been lifted.
PEN Afrikaans condemns these actions. We will call on our international chapters to condemn them as well.
We therefore call on the senior management of the SABC to publically denounce any form of intimidation against all journalists and employees of the SABC, to withdraw threats of suspension against any journalist working at the SABC and to co-operate with the police who are investigating the intimidation.
We also call on all South Africans to share this protest in camaraderie with the SABC employees who are under threat.
Our country’s newscasts will remain suspect until all journalists can work without any threats to their lives, their families and their jobs.
Help ons protesteer teen die voortdurende intimidasie by die SAUK
Die intimidasie teen SAUK-werknemers het nuwe vlakke van geweld bereik. Op 15 November 2016 publiseer Netwerk24 ’n tydlyn van die voortgesette dreigemente teen SAUK-personeel: boodskappe per anonieme SMS, inbrake en skade aan eiendom. Dit volg op ’n berig in die Sunday Times “SABC Eight living in fear after 'kill' threats” wat op 13 November gepubliseer is.
Hierdie dreigemente teen ons joernaliste intimideer nie net die bepaalde individue nie, dit stuur ook ’n duidelike boodskap aan werknemers van die SAUK dat lafhartige, gesiglose persone nie sal toelaat dat enige iemand die senior bestuur durf opponeer nie.
Dié vermeende aksies het plaasgevind terwyl die dreigende skorsing van Thulani Msimang skynbaar nog nie opgehef is nie.
PEN Afrikaans veroordeel hierdie aksies. Ons sal ’n beroep doen op ons internasionale kollegas om ook om hulle oordeel uit te spreek hierteen oor.
Ons doen dus ’n beroep op die senior bestuur van die SAUK om in die openbaar enige vorm van intimidasie teen alle joernaliste en werknemers van die SAUK te veroordeel, om enige hangende skorsing teen SAUK-joernaliste terug te trek en om met die polisie, wat die dreigemente ondersoek, saam te werk.
Ons vra ook dat alle Suid-Afrikaners hierdie protesskrif sal deel in samehorigheid met die SAUK se werknemers wat gedreig word. Ons land se nuusberigte sal verdag bly solank alle joernaliste nie hulle werk kan doen sonder enige vrees oor die veiligheid van hulle persoon, hul families en hul poste nie.
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