Veteran SABC journalist John Perlman has resigned over the SABC blacklisting scandal. He has said that he will be addressing the media in the next 2 days.
Regular readers will recall that last year a furore erupted at the SABC when Perlman confronted SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago on air over the banning of certain journalists by the national broadcaster. A commission of inquiry into this allegation was subsequently ordered. It found that SABC head of news Snuki Zikalala had instructed that certain commentators should not be used. Among those on the list was Jewish Middle East correspondent Paula Slier.
The SABC responded by accusing Perlman of bringing the organisation into disrepute and threatened that he would face a disciplinary hearing. SABC CEO Dali Mpofu briefing members of Parliament’s communications portfolio committee said that
| The complaint against Perlman is simply what is commonly known as bringing an organisation into disrepute. You have to accept...that the issue does not turn around the veracity or otherwise of the statement made … I can’t be seen to be turning a blind eye to alleged transgression. |
As yet (3 months later) no action has been taken against Zikalala, the person responsible for the blacklist. He is supposedly facing a disciplinary inquirer. But I am not going to hold my breath.
Related at IAS: Our contribution to the Honest Reporting 2006 awards: SABC Blacklisting Summary
Comments