SABC 8's Suna Venter remembered

Gqubule and Venter were part of the SABC 8, who challenged some editorial decisions made at the public broadcaster, mainly the decision not to broadcast footage from violent protests

The group was dismissed from the public broadcaster, but was reinstated after approaching the court.

Venter, who was an SABC radio journalist and producer, died unexpectedly last week.

She had recently been diagnosed with a cardiac condition known as stress cardiomyopathy, or Broken Heart Syndrome, believed to be caused by trauma and prolonged periods of unnatural stress.

Gqubule spoke to Jacaranda FM News at Venter's memorial service in Fairland.

She says her brother phoned her with the news of Venter's death.

"I can't describe all the emotions that went through my mind and my heart at the time, but the most dominant was shock. When it hit me that it was true, it was absolute grief," says Gqubule.

Gqubule says Venter and the rest if the SABC 8 has been through tough times.

"We fell out and fell in with each other. We disagreed and agreed, but in the end we experienced some kind of honeymoon," says Gqubule.

Gqubule says Venter loved them all.

"I will never forget the march to the Constitutional Court. I was wearing the wrong shoes and Venter was joking about my boots...We marched all the way to the court and she was so happy," says Gqubule.

Gqubule says they were looking at ways to protect journalists.

"If we, as the community of nations, were to have a special envoy on the protection of journalists, countries would think twice about enfeebling press freedoms."