Phil Molefe, the SABC's news boss who has been on special leave for months, clashing with the SABC in court today over his suspension.

Phil  Molefe, the SABC's news boss who has been on "special leave" for the bigger part of the year, is clashing with his employer in court today and challenging the SABC over his suspension.

Phil Molefe who was placed on "special leave", will challenge his suspension, and indicate that an order to forward the daily news diary to the SABC's CEO Lulama Mokhobo amounts to editorial interference. Phil Molefe refused to make news diaries available to Lulama Mokhobo.

Phil Molefe's court battle with his own employer comes as the beleaguered SABC is battered, basically weekly, by incredibly destructive stories and headlines of alleged editorial and news interference at South Africa's public broadcaster.

Phil Molefe, as the head of news and current affairs, has been out of sight as the SABC tries to set up a new 24-hour news channel on DStv with financial assistance from pay-TV operator MultiChoice. After multiple delays the SABC promised that the channel would launch at the beginning of September, but it didn't start and the SABC has not said anything about a new starting date since.