On the 15 April 1999 , veteran journalist Max du Preez was fired from his job as the executive producer and presenter of the South African Broadcasting Corporation's top rated current affairs programme: Special Assignment. According to the SABC, du Preez's contract was not renewed because of alleged disobedience and insubordination. Five days before du Preez was fired, he apparently had a disagreement with the SABC's head of news and current affairs, Themba Mthembu, about Mthembu's decision not to screen a Special Assignment story on witchcraft.

The Special Assignment team has apparently written to the editor-in-chief of SABC television news, Phil Molefe requesting that du Preez be reinstated on the grounds inter alia that du Preez's dismissal would damage the credibility of the award winning programme.

Dispite the continuation of the programme Special Assignment, the dismissal of du Preez, a symbol of independent and critical journalism within the SABC, may lead to the erosion in South Africa of investigative programmes such Special Assignment.

RECOMMENDED ACTION

Send faxes to Paulus Zulu, the Chairperson of the Board of SABC, requesting reasons why a person with du Preez's history and reputation as an independent and critical journalist has been dismissed and, expressing concern about interference in programme content which could result in self censorship of the kind prevalent previously at the SABC.

Telephone: +27+11 714 2858 +27+11 714 4759

Fax: +27+11 714 3629

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