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*CWU demands re-instatement of SABC news anchor* *Sapa, The Times, Johannesburg, 6 April 2010*The Communication Workers' Union (CWU) demanded the immediate re-instatement of suspended SABC 3 news anchor Mahendra Raghunath.
"His suspension is a continuation of the S'nukification of the SABC news division by both the acting head of news Phil Molefe and SABC TV news head Amrit Manga," said CWU spokesman Matankana Mothapo in a statement.
He was referring to the controversial previous head of news S'nuki Zikalala. "Raghunath was suspended for speaking the truth," Mothapo said.Raghunath was suspended by Manga for allegedly disclosing problems at the channel's newsroom to the Sunday Independent newspaper.
Mothapo said this showed that Molefe and Manga were "intolerant and abuse their positions of authority to silence and victimise workers".
Raghunath's hearing at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) had been set for April 16.
"Failure by the broadcaster to heed our calls reinforce the suspicion that the SABC news was being bullied to pursue certain sectarian agenda similar to the ones pursued during the era of S'nuki Zikalala," said Mothapo.
He also demanded a public explanation of the deliberate sidelining of labour and civil society in two key debates recently broadcast on SABC current affairs programme Asikhulume.
These debates concerned the militarisation of police and land reform."This is not surprising given the fact that the current acting head of news Phil Molefe is a carbon copy of S'nuki Zikalala, who hated labour."
He called for the appointment of a permanent head of news through a transparent and open process.
The SABC could not be immediately reached for comment.*From: http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article388211.ece/CWU-demands-re-instatement-of-SABC-news-anchor*
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