Johannesburg- Sunday World has this week been inundated with media enquiries regarding the future of the paper’s lifestyle editor, Kuli Roberts after she was on Wednesday unveiled as one of the candidates who’ll contest the forthcoming local elections on behalf of the African Transformation Movement (ATM).
In the wake of the announcement, Sunday World executive management team met on Thursday to reflect on the announcement by ATM leader Mzwanele Manyi that Roberts signed up to become his political party’s councillor candidate for ward 65 in Tshwane.
After long and careful deliberations, the management committee unanimously took a decision to suspend Roberts with immediate effect for allegedly violating the Press Code and bringing the company into disrepute.
A disciplinary inquiry will, as a matter of urgency, be convened in this regard.
Robert’s failure to declare and disclose her political aspirations came as a shock to the company, particularly after we first learned about it from ATM’s official announcement.
It is something that, we believe, constitutes a glaring conflict of interest that could, unfortunately, lead readers to doubt Sunday World’s independence, integrity, and professionalism.
Roberts has since apologized to the editor and said she was not aware her actions would bring the company into disrepute as her acceptance of the nomination was part of her efforts to help her community. She will be afforded the opportunity to explain her decision and the outcome of the disciplinary hearing, to be chaired by an independent advocate, will be communicated to the public.
However, without any prejudice to the pending DC inquiry, Sunday World will not tolerate any actions or decisions by any of its staff members that threaten to erode its credibility and independence
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