16 days of activism: R2K supports survivors of sexual harassment at the SABC!

R2K supports and stands by the survivors of sexual harassment at the SABC. During this 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, we as R2K say that our activism in this country should point at rooting out this culture of sexual harassment and silencing in our newsrooms, homes, schools and workplaces.

We condemn the abusive space that is the SABC and we say that there should be a commission of inquiry set up to address more than the cases that have been reported but what seems to be an endemic culture of sexual harassment within the corridors of the SABC and that the inquiry should be independent.

The SABC is meant to be a public broadcaster that spreads awareness and sets an example especially on issues of gender-based violence. To realise that there is a culture of sexual harassment even in the SABC points to a bigger problem of power relations that disadvantage those at the bottom of the organogram. This means more vigorous movement is needed to combat sexual harassment in the media sector. Media freedom also means the right to work freely in the media. On this 16 days of activism we stand with the survivors of sexual harassment at the SABC, we stand with survivors of sexual harassment in civil society.

We call on this culture to end, the silencing of journalists on these issues should stop and for SABC to give a clear remedy for rape and sexual violence in the workplace.

Tomorrow, 07 December 2018, we will picket outside the SABC in Auckland Park to give solidarity to the survivors of sexual harassment. The picket will start at 10am until 12 noon

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For more information contact:

Ntombiyebongo Tshabalala, R2K GP organizer: 082 710 3138/078 594 8962

Lazola Kati, R2K Media Freedom and Diversity Organiser: 072 956 7753