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When South African journalist André-Pierre du Plessis got a job producing news at Turkey’s national broadcaster, TRT, he never thought their Istanbul offices would become the epicentre of an attempted military coup.
Yesterday Du Plessis, formerly from eNCA and Smile FM in Cape Town, told City Press that, despite the trauma, he had not quit his job at the network.
He started working there in October, along with at least a dozen other South Africans, following a worldwide recruitment drive for English-speaking news producers and presenters.
“We’re off air,” Du Plessis (31) SMSed a friend at 11pm last Friday. “All our channels. There are jets in the sky, helicopters everywhere.”
Military officers clamped down on TRT’s offices as elements of the Turkish army attempted to seize power from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Du Plessis joined a throng of thousands on Istanbul’s streets to withdraw all his money from an ATM.
Later, in Turkey’s capital, Ankara, the National Assembly headquarters and other buildings were bombed,
with the death toll reportedly reaching 265.
This week Du Plessis said no South Africans had quit their jobs at TRT, yet.
“Keep Turkey in your thoughts; we’re all still traumatised,” he said.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has suspended the annual leave of more than 3 million civil servants across the nation – including that of Du Plessis.
NTV also reports that public sector employees have been banned from travelling abroad.
