Trade union Solidarity wants the South African Broadcasting Corporation's (SABC’s) submission on why it should not pay the fees it incurred defending a group of fired reporters, to be held in open court.

“We cannot and will not leave the matter here, and the persons who took the decision and who were part of the decision to dismiss the individuals must pay every cent of these costs,” Anton van der Bijl, head of Solidarity's Centre for Fair Labour Practices, said on Thursday.

“The taxpayer simply cannot be held accountable for the SABC’s unlawful actions,” he continued.

The SABC fired, but then reinstated, a group of reporters after Solidarity took the SABC to the Labour Court.

The court awarded costs to Solidarity. On 26 July, the court ruled that the officials who made the decision to fire the staffers had to file affidavits within five days to explain why they should not be held personally responsible for the costs.

Van der Bijl said they had done this. One explained he had acted on legal advice.

It was up to the judge to decide what to do, based on the replies. The decision could be communicated to the lawyers in chambers. Solidarity however wanted it to happen in an open court, for the benefit of anybody who was interested.

Seven journalists Foeta Krige, Suna Venter, Krivani Pillay, Busisiwe Ntuli, Thandeka Gqubule, Jacques Steenkamp and Lukhanyo Calata were fired for criticising the broadcaster's controversial policy to not show footage of the destruction of public property during protests.

An eighth journalist, Vuyo Mvoko, is challenging the SABC in court after it suddenly stopped scheduling him.