Protests outside Citizen over editor's suspension

[schumi]

Johannesburg - Steven Motale, suspended editor of The Citizen, says he became emotional when he saw that a protest had been held to fight for his reinstatement.

A group of protesters marched to The Citizen’s offices in Industria on Wednesday to raise grievances around alleged racism and editorial interference at the newspaper.

The march was organised by the Forum of Journalists for Transformation (FJT) and was supported by around 100 people from various organisations, including the Communication Workers Union, the Patriotic Alliance, Black First Land First and Cosatu.

The protesters carried posters saying “Hands off Steve Motale”, “Stop victimisation of journalists”, “Transform The Citizen now” and “Editorial independence is not negotiable”. They chanted “One settler, one bullet” and other Struggle songs.

More at: http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-afr...tside-citizen-over-editors-suspension-2092995

 

[Milano]

“One settler, one bullet”

Stay classy.

 

[itareanlnotani]

The march was organised by the Forum of Journalists for Transformation (FJT) and was supported by around 100 people from various organisations, including the Communication Workers Union, the Patriotic Alliance, Black First Land First and Cosatu.

The protesters carried posters saying “Hands off Steve Motale”, “Stop victimisation of journalists”, “Transform The Citizen now” and “Editorial independence is not negotiable”. They chanted “One settler, one bullet” and other Struggle songs.

So hate speech then?
CWU, PA, BFLF, and Cosatu guilty of hate speech?

How many monkeys or coffins worth of PR is that going to not be?

 

[schumi]

Citizen editor feels 'vindicated' after winning dismissal case

Johannesburg - The Citizen editor Steve Motale will be going back to work on Monday after the Labour Court set aside his dismissal on Friday, he confirmed to News24 on Friday.

"I've been advised to go to work on Monday, but my lawyers and The Citizen's lawyers are still engaging following this morning's ruling in court," he said.

Motale was suspended from his duties in November last year, pending the outcome of an internal disciplinary process, The Citizen's publisher Eureka Zandberg said in a statement to staff at the time.

"I have always maintained I was innocent and this was a glaring interference with editorial by management. They wanted to dictate which stories I could run," Motale said.

Motale said that, in The Citizen's affidavit, it became clear that he had been axed after he wrote an apology to President Jacob Zuma.

"What is striking in their court papers is that they have been hounding me for a column apologising to Zuma. That was proof that the column was the origin of my persecution. I feel great that I have been vindicated."

Motale said he wished that his employer would take responsibility for its actions. He said the courts were clear that the employer had infringed on his right to a disciplinary hearing.

"They said I was going through the disciplinary process and the court saw that to be false. There was no such hearing. I am not the aggressor. They have to take accountability."

In an internal memorandum sent to The Citizen's staff, Motale was accused of failing to follow agreed-upon editorial procedures and not upholding his editorial duties, which had led to an irretrievable breakdown in the relationship of trust and confidence between the editor and the publisher of the newspaper.

News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...dicated-after-winning-dismissal-case-20170127