SABC TV News Editor, Joe Thloloe resigns

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) was plunged into a crisis when the Editor-in-chief of television news, Joe Thloloe, announced his resignation due to irreconcilable differences with Group Chief Executive, Zwelakhe Sisulu. Thloloe's resignation came just days after the corporation announced the dismissal of the senior executive producer at television news, Jeremy Thorpe, and the imminent departure of the Chief Executive of Television, Jill Chisholm. News of Thorpe's dismissal came on May 23 after a disciplinary hearing following his questioning of a management decision in April. This is after the broadcaster and the South African Press Association (SAPA) found themselves in different waters. According to Sapa's editor, Mark van der Velden Sapa's Board of Directors took the decision to terminate its news feed to the SABC after the final break-down of protracted negotiations which resulted from the SABC's demands for a drastic reduction in its annual subscription charge to Sapa for the service. Chisholm announced on May 26 that she would not be renewing her two-year contract when it expired at the end of June. On May 28 the ruling African National Congress (ANC) denied reports of political interference on its part leading to the resignation of Thloloe. Other sources claim that the SABC terminated services of the South African Press Association (SAPA).