South African newspaper Sunday Times revealed that Foeta Krige and Suna Venter, two journalists, have received death threats. Both are employees of state broadcaster SABC. The journalists said they were sent SMSes ordering to leave the city. Also, Venter’s house was robbed.

Venter and Krige are part of a group of eight journalists sacked by SABC and later re-hired. The state broadcaster was forced to take them back after the court said sacking them was illegal. The two journalists said the threats started on the day after they decided to bring SABC to the Constitutional Court. They had been sanctioned for criticizing the employer’s decision to stop covering public protests.

During a parliamentary portfolio committee meeting on SABC’s dysfunctionning, the group’s executives called the eight journalists liars and traitors. “The culture of censorship at the SABC continues, the culture of fear in the newsroom persists,” said the journalists’ lawyers.

SABC’s staff in Polokwane also received death threats after reportedly criticizing King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana. .

Assongmo Necdem