A handful of people leaning towards fascism are behind the quest to undermine and censor the SABC at all costs, Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) has said.

The lobby group issued this missive in response to the news that eight SABC journalists were fired by the public broadcaster over the last two days.

“Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) condemns the latest illegal response by SABC management to summarily dismiss the 8 SABC journalists. The decision flies in the face of due process and the ruling by Icasa,” it said in a statement.

MMA called the decision by the public broadcaster a “desperate acts of vengeance and an abuse of our legal system”.

“It is hardly surprising then that the SABC 8 have approached the constitutional court for direct access.  When those in power seek to abuse the legal system to delay, obfuscate and evade accountability it is only logical that instead of having to wait years for justice to be done they can ensure if it seen to be done and thereby also minimise the damage caused,” it added.

Some within SABC intent on enforcing protest policy and compliance

MMA said that these actions further show that “some within SABC management are intent on enforcing the protest policy and forcing compliance among staff at all costs and to hell with the consequences.”

“The consequences are grave. In addition to the clear violation of the journalists rights, it has real impact on their lives and their families,” it said.

The group called on advertisers to help bring an end to the time for all those who are letting the SABC continue in this manner by pulling advertising and disassociate with directly “supporting censorship and undermining our democracy”.

“As we seek to address the crises it is critical that those who seek to undermine and to censor and we know it is a handful of fascist leaning people, that they must know they take these decisions in their personal capacity and not in our name. Not in our public broadcasters name,” MMA added.

The group concluded by reminding the SABC’s management and those behind the controversial decisions that South Africa is a democracy, “and while their efforts to undermine our democracy will damage and hurt, the people will always win. Always”.

[Source – Media Monitoring Africa]