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In violation of its Editorial Policy, the SABC will this weekend provide live coverage of an ANC study group on radio, television and via live-stream on its website, cementing its reputations as the ANC’s mouthpiece. 

According to an advert proceedings of the ANC’s Legal Research Group workshop on Foreign Direct Investment and the Rule of Law due to be held on Saturday, 28 November 2015 will be broadcast live on SAFM, SABC News (DSTV Channel 404) and via a live-stream on the SABC’s website.

This is the second time the SABC has given live coverage to an ANC study group. In September this year, the ANC’s Legal Research Group workshop on Criminal Defamation was given live coverage. According to a reply to a DA parliamentary question, this coverage was provided by the SABC to the ANC free of charge. 

This is in violation of the SABC’s current editorial policy for news, current affairs and information programming which states that the SABC may give free live television and/or radio coverage for events that considered to be matters of national importance. Such events may include:

• the opening of Parliament;
• the Budget Speech;
• state occasions such as visits by foreign dignitaries;
• state funerals;
• major commemorative occasions;
• proceedings of national commissions of inquiry;
• major parliamentary debates;
• the opening of provincial legislatures; and
• significant conferences of the major political parties.

An ANC study group does not fall into this category. It is neither a major party political conference, nor a matter of national importance.

The DA has requested that the SABC’s board and the Minister of Communications to be summoned to Parliament to discuss the suspension of the SABC’s CEO. We will add to the agenda the SABC’s refusal to air the award-winning Marikana documentary, “Miners Shot Down” and now, the SABC’s decision to provide free live coverage to an ANC workshop. The Chairperson of the Committee, Joyce Moloi-Moropa has given in-principle support of the DA’s request. The DA will now push for this committee meeting to take place in the next week, regardless of whether or not Parliament has risen. 

The SABC appears to be headed for another crisis. As it stands, its CEO has been suspended for nefarious reasons; and its board is not quorate and its decisions therefore not legally binding. Parliament simply cannot wait until next year to deal with the problems faced by the public broadcaster.

The DA is committed to ensuring that the SABC becomes the public broadcaster South Africa deserves one that provide quality programming, is independent and properly managed.

Issued by DA