Vuyo Mvoko SABC case postponed

SABC journalist Vuyo Mvoko's battle to get the public broadcaster to reinstate him will now kick off on Thursday.

Johannesburg - SABC journalist Vuyo Mvoko's battle to get the public broadcaster to reinstate him will kick off on Thursday.

He appeared briefly in the high court in Joburg on Tuesday morning, but the case was postponed because the court roll was full.

Mvoko, who was hired by the SABC on a three-year contract, applied to the court for the enforcement of his contract after the SABC said he would no longer be used to produce programmes until their dispute was settled.

He and seven other SABC journalists were fired in the past month for challenging the broadcaster’s editorial policy.

Mvoko was axed after he wrote an article for Independent Media criticising the censorship and culture of bullying at the corporation.

While his seven colleagues were reinstated last week, Mvoko, who worked on a contract as a contributing editor, was not.

Speaking after proceedings on Tuesday, Mvoko said he was confident that he had a strong case.

“The fact that they're contesting none of the substantive things that we've put before court is perhaps an indication that someone is probably being naughty or vindictive because I think everyone has seen that we have a strong case.”

Last Thursday, moments before he was due to appear in court, Mvoko was told that he could have his position back if he retracted everything he had written and said about the public broadcaster.

Mvoko turned down the offer.

gabi.falanga@inl.co.za

The Star