The SABC has implied the recent arrest of three prison warders in Zimbabwe for their role in filming scenes for a documentary about Zimbabwean prisons was in errorWhen asked if the three warders were those who helped film scenes
inside the prisons in Beitbridge and Khami, SABC media officer Mmone
Seapolelo replied in a written statement that the "SABC is confident
that the confidentiality of sources has not been compromised."
Three warders, Thabiso Nyathi, Siyai Muchechedzi, and Thembinkosi
Nkomo, were arrested on Sunday under the Official Secrets Act. On the
same day, Zimbabwean Justice Minister Patrick Chinamisa was quoted in a
SAPA report saying that the "SABC is lying" about the gruesome scenes
of starvation and crowding in Beitbridge and Khami prisons. He claimed
that the footage was taken from other countries.
The scenes were part of a documentary on SABC's Special Assignment
programme exposing horrific detainment conditions in the
poverty-stricken country.
Seapolelo said the warders who helped film the documentary did so with full knowledge of the possible repercussions.
"The persons involved in assisting us with this documentary before were
fully appraised [sic] of the risks involved, and agreed to participate
nevertheless," she said.
"We will continue to take all precautions to protect our sources. We
will contact Lawyers for Human Rights in Zimbabwe, Doctors of Human
Rights and the Zimbabwean NGO which deals with offenders."
The SABC did not disclose the location of the warders who filmed the documentary.
The episode of Special Assignment, called "Hell Hole," is scheduled to re-air on Tuesday night on SABC3 at 9:30pm.
The Times (SA)
Post published in: News