Union wants Hlaudi, Tebele & public broadcaster to share SABC8 legal costs
The journalists were sacked after speaking out against censorship, among other issues, at the SABC in 2016.
JOHANNESBURG - The Broadcast Electronic Media and Allied Workers Union (Bemawu) wants former South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng along with the former acting news group executive, Simon Tebele, and the public broadcaster to equally share the costs in the unlawful dismissal of the so called SABC8.
The journalists were sacked after speaking out against censorship, among other issues, at the SABC in 2016.
The High Court overturned that decision and ordered they be reinstated.
The union’s lawyer Nick Rob said: “The purpose of today is to determine the apportionment of liability to payment of the costs by the SABC and those two individuals, who at the time were both at the public broadcaster.”
#SABC8 Motsoeseng in court today to explain why he shouldnt be held personally liable for the wrongful dismissal of 8 SABC journalists. HM pic.twitter.com/LuGHU2pVh6
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) September 6, 2017
'MOTSOENENG SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE'
Motsoeneng has filed new arguments saying the journalists should be held liable for costs because he was acting in accordance with the public broadcaster's policies.
Senior counsel for Bemawu Hans van der Riet, says Motsoeneng promised to deal with the SABC8 despite the High Court overturning the public broadcaster's protest policy, which the journalists were speaking against.
He says this proves intent and, therefore, Motsoeneng should be held accountable.
Law firm Webber Wentzel's Nick Rob says they want the respondents to pay on a joint and severance liability basis.
“Which then gives us the ability to approach any of those three. Say, for example, we go against the SABC and recover our costs, the SABC can then go against each of them to get a third back, they’ve got the right in law to do that.”
The SABC's legal representative is now presenting the corporation’s argument.
#SABC8 Congress Of South African Students addressing outside Labour Court - say "No Hlaudi no SABC" pic.twitter.com/AslfW9Oc0G
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) September 6, 2017
#SABC8 The journalists' lawyer says Hlaudi must be held personally liable for costs because he made the decision to fire the eight. HM
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) September 6, 2017
(Edited by Zamangwane Shange)
