Axed sub-editor to appeal
2007-12-07 15:39
Johannesburg - The Sowetan's axed sub-editor Llewellyn Kriel on Monday will appeal the findings of the disciplinary hearing, which led to his dismissal and made him the first South African fired for blogging.
Kriel was dismissed last Thursday when he was found to have brought the company's name into disrepute through a blog posted on the Mail and Guardian's "Thought Leader" website on November 13.
He was accused of leaking "confidential corporate information" through a rival publication's website.
In the blog, Kriel referred to an internal memorandum distributed to staff, informing them that "all new appointments had been banned".
Kriel wrote that morale and standards at the Sowetan had dropped and expressed his frustration at staff shortages.
He claims his dismissal was unconstitutional.
"I am passionate about freedom of expression and I was exercising my constitutional right when I posted the blog. I certainly did not intend to offend any of my colleagues," Kriel said on Friday.
"Media in South Africa need to wake up quickly, there is an entirely new face to the media worldwide, influenced by cyberspace."
Kriel's case has drawn attention to laws around company confidentiality and internet communication developments.
"I will continue to blog, it is important that these issues are debated.
"Media in five years time will be different to media today and if these issues are not addressed, South Africa will still be playing catch up with the rest of the world," Kriel said.
- SAPA