S. African journalist wins wrongful termination case against state broadcaster

A South African journalist fired last year for speaking against a controversial editorial policy introduced by the public broadcaster South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has won his case at the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Vuyo Mvoko is one of the eight SABC journalists who lost their jobs after they accused the public broadcaster of enforcing censorship through the editorial policy that barred employees from airing images from last year’s violent protests in May.

As a part-time employee serving as the broadcaster’s contributing editor, his three-year contract ending in 2019 was not re-instated like that of the seven other permanent employees who won their case at the Labour Court last year after SABC’s ban was declared illegal by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa).

SABC was ordered on Friday to pay the cost of the case and the journalist’s contract be re-instated.

People should no longer be afraid to speak out. What the court today underscored was the fact that the SABC belongs to all of us.

YES…!!! WE’VE WON AGAINST THE #SABC & THE SCA HAS RULED THAT THE SABC MUST PAY COSTS OF THE CASE. AMANDLA! #NotInMyName pic.twitter.com/LHNFVCtAew

— vuyo mvoko (@vuyo_mvoko) September 29, 2017

“People should no longer be afraid to speak out. What the court today underscored was the fact that the SABC belongs to all of us,” he told local media after posting a picture on Twitter with his lawyers celebrating his victory.

The journalist is currently working with 24-hour privately-owned television news broadcaster eNCA.