By Alec Hogg
The Jacob Zuma Supporter’s Club celebrated another media sector victory yesterday. With the SABC tied up, Independent Newspapers and Gupta TV and newspaper in very friendly hands, the next target was the 12m viewers of e.tv. After yesterday’s labour court judgement and subsequent resignation by Marcel Golding, the prize appears to have been landed. Golding, who claims he was being elbowed out because of resisting political interference, yesterday lost his legal attempt to avert an HCI disciplinary hearing, so resigned as an employee of HCI. In his view, the conclusion of the disciplinary was a foregone conclusion.
The man who apparently plotted Golding’s downfall is the brother of Jacob Zuma’s confidante, his “generally corrupt” financial advisor, convicted criminal Shabir Shaik. According to Golding’s sworn affidavit political pressure from Yunis Shaik started a year ago when Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel instructed e.tv to lead its news bulletin with Zuma opening a dam. This “His Master’s Voice directive” came four days after the Nkandla scandal had dominated headlines.
Golding’s departure was followed by ANC veteran and admired former cabinet minister Barbara Hogan who resigned in protest from the HCI board. Like Golding, she cites Section 16 of the Constitution which deals with Freedom of the Media. Perhaps more telling is that none of HCI’s other directors followed her. And so far, not a peep, from the country’s most powerful businessman, Johann Rupert, whose Remgro is HCI’s partner in the television channel.
Makes one recall Simon Wiesenthal’s wise words that “for evil to flourish, all it requires is for good men to sit back and do nothing.”
UPDATE: There have been a number of emailed responses to this article. William wrote: I couldn’t agree more. At the back of my mind I was wondering where the board was in all of this? Surely to God Marcel had some support among them, or have they all cowered to this? Seriously Alec, what has happened to the concept of a principle? The ability to stand and be counted? Perhaps there is more to this, and perhaps Rupert is playing the waiting game before showing his cards. It’s probably why I’m a terrible politician – my stance is quick, firm and decisive and I tend to react quicker than it may be healthy to do so! Still, we’re almost a week into this now and that in my mind is enough time – the guys onboard would have had a clear idea as to what was happening? Bah! Drives me mad I tell you!
One of the best of them, from Bryan, reads: That Wiesenthal quote is a favourite of mine but better is this one by Dante in the same vein:  The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis. He continues: One of President John Kennedy’s favorite quotations was based upon an interpretation of Dante’s Inferno. As Robert Kennedy explained in 1964, “President Kennedy’s favorite quote was really from Dante, ‘The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of moral crisis preserve their neutrality.”
This supposed quotation is not actually in Dante’s work, but is based upon a similar one. In the Inferno, Dante and his guide Virgil, on their way to Hell, pass by a group of dead souls outside the entrance to Hell. These individuals, when alive, remained neutral at a time of great moral decision. Virgil explains to Dante that these souls cannot enter either Heaven or Hell because they did not choose one side or another. They are therefore worse than the greatest sinners in Hell because they are repugnant to both God and Satan alike, and have been left to mourn their fate as insignificant beings neither hailed nor cursed in life or death, endlessly travailing below Heaven but outside of Hell. This scene occurs in the third canto of the Inferno.
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Yesterday’s top stories
Barbara Hogan resigns from HCI board in wake of Golding furore
Lucy Kellaway: To gym bunnies – excessive exercise creates dull, arrogant CEOs
Athens: 7 hidden gems to explore when visiting Greece’s ancient capital
Tongaat Mall money mystery deepens: Developer denies secret Govt funding
State to appeal Oscar’s case
