by Thinus Ferreira
Two staffers from the South African public broadcaster died on Sunday because of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
It bring to 4 the total of South African media workers who have so far died from Covid-19, after the death of the e.tv and eNCA cameraman Lungile Tom at eMedia in May, and eNCA graphic designer Michael Wilson in July 2020.
Mike Conradie (61), a provincial logistics manager at the SABC in KwaZulu-Natal died on Sunday from Covid-19. He was admitted to a Durban hospital's ICU two weeks ago with a viral lung infection. He tested positive for Covid-19 last week Monday. Mike Conradie is the second worker at the SABC who has died from Covid-19.
Busani Mthembu, SABC acting provincial general manager in KwaZulu-Natal, said that Mike Conradie who has worked for the SABC for 39 years and who started out in the SABC's sales department, was "very, very dependable. He was very, very humble and he worked extremely hard".
Tumelo Matloha (48), an SABC assignment news editor in Pretoria, also died from Covid-19. According to the SABC he has been working for the public broadcaster for 24 years since he joined as an intern in 1996.
Tumelo Matloha got flu-like symptoms that refused to go away and he was diagnosed as Covid-19 positive after a test and was admitted to hospital on 9 August.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) in a statement on Tuesday said that it "extends its deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of two media workers from the SABC as a result of Covid-19".
"Covid 19- has claimed the lives of 3 journalists to date and infected many more in news organisations throughout the country. This highlights the dangers journalists and media workers face on a daily basis both as frontline and essential workers."
"We thus call on all leaders in civil society, the corporate sector, government and community to support the role of the media and journalists."
"We call on all media companies to assist journalists and media workers with protective gear and for journalists to be extra careful and follow all safety precautions. We also call on media companies, where possible, to assist journalists with trauma counselling."
