Press release: PEN Afrikaans protests the pending suspension of Thulani Msimang | PEN Afrikaans protesteer teen die moontlike skorsing van Thulani Msimang | LitNet
PEN Afrikaans protests the pending suspension of Thulani Msimang
On 6 November 2016 City Press has published evidence that the SABC management is threatening to suspend Thulani Msimang for being critical of the NPA’s lack of action against President Jacob Zuma. The criticism was published on Msimang’s personal Facebook page, and no reference to the SABC was made in the post.
In their letter to Msimang, published by City Press, the SABC management alleges that his personal opinion brings the SABC into disrepute and that it constitutes non-compliance with this contract.
PEN Afrikaans fails to understand how a personal opinion regarding the NPA’s lack of action can bring the SABC into disrepute. We can therefore only conclude that the SABC is trying to bully any employee who is critical of Jacob Zuma.
We insist that the SABC withdraws its action against Msimang, as we subscribe to the PEN International code that reads: “PEN stands for the principle of unhampered transmission of thought within each nation and between all nations, and members pledge themselves to oppose any form of suppression of freedom of expression in the country and community to which they belong, as well as throughout the world wherever this is possible. PEN declares for a free press and opposes arbitrary censorship in time of peace.”
If the SABC fails to do so, PEN Afrikaans shall call on PEN International and its global network to support our protest against the South African public broadcaster which seems to be severely politically compromised.
Read on the City Press website: SABC journo faces suspension for Facebook post about Zuma
PEN Afrikaans protesteer teen die moontlike skorsing van Thulani Msimang
Op 6 November 2016 publiseer City Press bewyse dat die SAUK-bestuur dreig om Thulani Msimang te skors omdat hy krities was oor die NVG se gebrek aan aksie teen president Jacob Zuma. Die kritiek is op Msimang se persoonlike Facebook-blad gepubliseer, daar was geen verwysing na die SAUK in die plasing nie.
In die brief wat deur die SAUK aan Msimang gestuur is, en deur City Press openbaar gemaak is, beweer die SAUK dat Msimang se persoonlike opinie die SAUK in oneer bring en dat Msimang sodoende ook in nie-nakoming van sy kontrak was.
PEN Afrikaans verstaan nie hoe 'n persoonlike mening oor die NVG se gebrek aan optrede die SAUK in oneer kan bring nie. Ons kan dus bloot aflei dat die SAUK besig is om 'n werknemer, wat kritiek lewer op Jacob Zuma, te probeer boelie.
Ons dring aan dat die SAUK hulle aksie teen Msimang terugtrek, want ons onderskryf PEN Internasionaal se kode wat lees: “PEN steun die beginsel van onverhinderde oordrag van denke binne elke nasie en tussen al die nasies, en die lede onderneem om hulle te verset teen enige vorm van onderdrukking van vryheid van uitdrukking in die land en gemeenskap waaraan hulle behoort, en wêreldwyd indien moontlik. PEN eis ’n vrye pers en is teen arbitrêre sensuur in vredestyd.”
Sou die SAUK versuim om dit te doen, sal PEN Afrikaans ’n beroep doen op PEN Internasionaal en dié organisasie se wêreldwye netwerk om ons protes teen die Suid-Afrikaanse openbare uitsaaier te steun, aangesien die instansie skynbaar polities erg gekompromitteer is.
Lees op die City Press-webwerf: SABC journo faces suspension for Facebook post about Zuma