Trade union‚ civil society and media representatives who were scheduled to meet SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng on Monday at noon were refused admission to the SABC building.

The group‚ led by unionist Zwelinzima Vavi‚ was told that Motsoeneng had cancelled the meeting and announced that he was proceeding with disciplinary action against six journalists.

The group met Motsoeneng on Friday during a picket by unions‚ activists and journalists outside the public broadcaster’s offices in Johannesburg against censorship and the suspension of journalists.

Vavi said the group had demanded that the disciplinary proceedings against six journalists‚ three of whom are suspended‚ be dropped with immediate effect and that those who were suspended be immediately reinstated.

Vavi said on Friday Motsoeneng claimed he did not know of the charges that the employees were facing.

Motsoeneng had promised the group he would meet with his managers to find out about the charges.

“We felt we needed to give him the benefit of the doubt‚” Vavi said on Friday.