South Africa: Bad news for poor as SABC freefall continues [opinion]

Dissapointingly, the SABC continues its corruption freefall under President Jacob Zuma and Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda. After a R1,5bn bail-out, more than R3m has already been spent on soccer tickets and almost R1m on a “documentary” about Zuma. One can only guess that this “doccie” will be given saturation airtime in the run-up to next year’s municipal elections. Millions more have been corruptly spent or wasted on hiring unnecessary 2010 studio space outside Auckland Park.

 

The stench of clandestine SABC meetings with Japanese decoder manufacturers is pervasive and nauseating. This will delay digital migration, cost South African companies such as Altech and Reunert millions and will inevitably benefit the African National Congress’s (ANC’s) ubiquitous “tenderpreneurs” and Chancellor House.

 

The ANC choice of Phil Molefe to replace Snuki Zikalala as head of news is already providing it with gratifying results by protecting Zuma through the usual censorship by omission and the broadcasting sabotage of opposition parties.

 

On January 31, the Sunday Times ran a story about Zuma’s “love child”, which proved a tipping point in public perceptions of him. For three days, while the story was negatively headlined here and abroad, the SABC observed an ANC-imposed embargo until Zuma released a contrite and conciliatory statement.

 

In his book, On the Contrary, Tony Leon provides examples of how Zikalala and his cabal illegally and unconstitutionally manipulated the news to undermine the Democratic Alliance (DA). Zikalala must now be bursting with pride, because his legacy of corrupt news practices not only endures but is being prosecuted with venom by his carefully chosen propaganda team, which the ANC has left intact.

 

On February 20, the DA said: “The DA today launched a national education campaign in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria. An hour before the event, SABC TV pulled its cameras off the launch, refusing to give an explanation for why, and despite confirming that they would be in attendance a few days prior. Every other media outlet in the country was present at the launch to cover primarily the speech by DA leader Helen Zille. Even SABC Radio was in attendance. It is indisputable that this event constituted significant news. The DA tried to contact four or five key individuals at the SABC and none of them was willing or able to provide an explanation for why the cameras were pulled.”

 

The systemic distortion of the truth also continues without respite. In a statement headlined around the country on May 21, SABC CEO Solly Mokoetle announced Molefe’s appointment, saying: “The board and I are happy that this matter has been brought to finality, as this was a key vacant position that needed to be filled to stabilise the corporation.”

 

As I was reading these newspaper reports, I was listening to a radio interview in which board member Pippa Green said that she and the rest of the board, with the exception of chairman Ben Ngubane, denied this. Far from being stabilised, the SABC news department is in turmoil and experiencing another, post-Zikalala diaspora, as broadcasters of integrity are again intimidated, silenced and victimised.

 

Newsreader Mahendra Raghunath’s career was saved only by union and Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration intervention, but PM Live host Krivani Pillay has been demoted and silenced and, following threats and coercion, radio news boss Mapule Mbhalati has requested early retirement. Five senior journalists have resigned to join e.tv.

 

More will follow and the ultimate and inevitable victims of this ANC corruption will be the 28-million people, mainly poor, for whom the SABC is the only available news source.

 

Recently, Green complained to the Press Ombudsman about my column criticising Mokoetle’s appointment. Why does she not release my response and add this column to her list of complaints? Principled board members, if there are any, must challenge this in court or speak truth to power and articulate public outrage by resigning.

 

Kadalie is a human rights activist based in Cape Town.

 

- June 15, 2010 by Rhoda Kadalie

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Source: www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx (accessed on 16.06.10)