Journalists walk out of Sassa briefing after waiting two hours for minister
A dozen journalists staged a walkout ahead of a breakfast briefing with Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini in Polokwane on Thursday. Dlamini was billed to address the media on issues relating to the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grants payment system. The breakfast briefing was scheduled for 10am at The Protea Hotel Ranch Resort in Polokwane. However journalists who were made to wait for more than two hours walked out in protest over the unexplained delay in Dlamini’s arrival. Dlamini’s spokesperson‚ Lumka Oliphant‚ who was present at the venue did not bother to explain to journalists why Dlamini was late. Some journalists complained that they had travelled from Joburg and made an effort to arrive at the event on time. When spokesperson at the provincial social development department Adele van der Linde came outside to inquire why people were leaving‚ a journalist told her that people felt disrespected as there was no explanation given for the delay. This i...
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