Media independence takes a knock in South Africa, with an apparently retaliatory sacking. While publicly-supported broadcasters are often quite good (the BBC comes to mind), there is a built in risk of government interference, and here it is.

RSF press release, via AllAfrica.

Reporters sans Frontières (Paris)

PRESS RELEASE
7 May 2008
Posted to the web 7 May 2008

The board of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) announced today that it has suspended the public broadcaster’s CEO, Dali Mpofu, with immediate effect pending an investigation and possible disciplinary measures for “insubordination.”

The announcement came just hours after Mpofu suspended SABC’s head of news Snuki Zikalala for “divulging confidential information.” Zikalala had often been accused of bias in favour of President Thabo Mbeki and an internal report last October accused him of preventing certain government critics from voicing their views as commentators.

Reporters Without Borders