SABC confirms deployment of soldiers to offices
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has confirmed the deployment of soldiers to its offices, including its Auckland Park headquarters.
Group Executive of Corporate Affairs and Marketing Gugu Ntuli says the move was to ensure the protection of the public broadcaster’s premises and staff in light of the recent unrest.
“As a National Key Point Area, delivering an essential service to the nation, and considering the recent attacks on the SABC journalists, it was deemed necessary that the physical premises and the employees working in these offices be protected.”
Ntuli dismissed claims that there has been an ulterior motive to the deployment.
“The SABC dismisses, with the necessary contempt, the misleading and malicious allegations that there is an ulterior motive for the presence of the members of SANDF in its premises.
“In the exercise of their responsibilities, the members of the SANDF engage with the SABC’s internal security to familiarize themselves with some internal security processes and National Key Point activities, including news. At no point in time has and will the SANDF impact or get involved with operational matters of the SABC.
“While the SABC has no evidence that any SANDF personnel were in the newsroom, the public broadcaster would like to make it clear that any presence by SANDF in the newsroom would be unacceptable and not in line with the SABC’s public mandate and editorial policies.”
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