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There’s no crisis at SABC – Muthambi

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(File, Beeld)
(File, Beeld)

The much-anticipated briefing by Communications Minister Faith Muthambi to give clarity on the shenanigans at SABC was as clear as mud, except if you were an ANC MP.

Muthambi and SABC bosses told Parliament that the reported chaos at the public broadcaster was a figment of the print media’s imagination and other detractors who are opposed to “radical transformation” at the corporation.

Muthambi accused the print media, opposition parties and non-governmental organisations of having an anti-transformation agenda against the SABC and of making up negative stories about the broadcaster.

She was appearing before Parliament’s portfolio committee on communication to account about the SABC’s new editorial policy and other policy changes made by the public broadcaster in the past few months.

The SABC’s new editorial policy included the controversial banning of footage of destruction of public property during protest actions. It was later instructed to withdraw this policy by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa.

Other eyebrow-raising changes included a ban on the reading of newspapers, a ban on listeners calling in to current affairs shows and the dropping without notice of The Editors programme – a programme where senior journalists reviewed and previewed top stories of the week.

“It’s interesting to note that when the mainstream print media took a negative posture on their coverage of government, none of these NGOs marched to print media buildings to demand a fair and just coverage of South African stories,” said Muthambi.

She questioned the DA for sending a memorandum to her office in July about then suspended SABC journalists.

“The DA’s memorandum achieves what the DA as the party stands for, protection of white interests, in this case, protection of white journalists at the SABC.”

With regards to the editorial policy, Muthambi said when the SABC was amending its news and editorial policies, it conducted “sufficient public participation” with hearings in all provinces which were attended by almost 2000 people and another 216 written submissions received.

Muthambi said the process was undertaken in 2013 and early 2014 and the policy was approved by the board of directors of the SABC for implementation by management. Icasa was notified in writing and political parties and groups such as Save our SABC were informed of the amended policy and afforded an opportunity to comment.

“What we witnessed pre-elections was an undue pressure on the part of certain sections of the society to force changes to the already approved policy and we believe, if allowed was going to erode and influence the editorial independence of the SABC,” she said.

With regards to the financial position of the SABC, Muthambi said when the Jacob Zuma administration took over in 2009, the SABC’s governance and financial health was in tatters, but now the SABC’s liquidity was that of a going concern.

Muthambi said the corporation had managed to “reach more than R880 million”, which meant it recorded a R411 million loss from the previous financial year’s R1 billion cash that was in the bank.

“We are not happy with the millions that have been lost but we know the SABC is reinvesting the amount in local content. The SABC has invested millions in the economy.”

Muthambi’s views were reiterated by SABC board member Aaron Tshidzumba, who said the print media was reporting the SABC’s successes as chaos.

“If the events … the minister has mentioned constitute chaos at the SABC, then there is another definition of chaos that South Africans and the public must be told about.

“If successes in a company are defined as chaos, then we live in a different world that we must explain to our people,” he added.

He said media had been reporting that with Hlaudi Motsoeneng at the helm, the SABC would not be able to cover elections.

“We managed to cover elections, the only broadcaster that managed to cover elections to that magnitude. We don’t get any accolades for that.”

DA MP Phumzile van Damme was not satisfied. She insisted that a parliamentary inquiry was needed to get to the bottom of the SABC’s affairs.

Van Damme said it was “laughable” that Tshidzumba wants the SABC to be lauded for doing its job. “We are not here to celebrate you for doing the bare minimum of your job”.

Van Damme charged that the SABC board had in fact dismally failed to conduct oversight on the SABC. “In my opinion, all of you should be fired, you failed to do your job.”

Van Damme said there was utter chaos at the SABC in the build up to elections, as staff members were fired, public broadcaster lost court cases and decisions made against SABC for canning shows and banning images.

The controversial Motsoeneng raised a few eyebrows when telling opposition MPs that instead of calling for an inquiry into the SABC, Parliament should have an inquiry on them to ascertain their interest in the SABC.

“May be the inquiry should be, why are these people having so much interest [in the SABC]. May be we need to start with them, and inquire about them and what is this interest they have at the SABC.”

Motsoeneng said some of the members of the committee, especially DA MPs, despite having taken an oath to be honourable MPs, were not honourable.

He later withdrew this statement at the instruction of committee chairperson, the ANC’s Humphrey Maxegwana.

Motsoeneng said SABC managers were not apologetic about the transformation of the organisation. “We are aware that some political parties collude with certain print media and certain commercial broadcasters.”

Motsoeneng said the decision to ban violent footage was not a policy change, but a decision taken as a “responsible statement”. He said there was no need to show burning people. He said this was an international trend.

“At the SABC, there is no censorship, there are editorial decisions,” added Motsoeneng.

ANC MPs were happy with the presentations and despite protestations from the DA, the committee decided there was no need for an inquiry into the SABC.

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