The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

Report suggests SABC head of news took orders from Luthuli House to ban Thabo Mbeki from television and radio coverage
SABC's behaviour a full-on assault on the democratic rights of South Africans to receive impartial, balanced news from state broadcaster
DA will call on SABC head of news to appear before portfolio committee on communications at earliest opportunity





The Democratic Alliance (DA) will call on SABC's acting head of news Phil Molefe to appear before the portfolio committee on communications to explain the disturbing and quite scandalous report that indicates he has banned former President Thabo Mbeki from SABC television and radio channels, on instruction from Luthuli House.

A report in this morning's Sunday Times indicates Mr. Molefe was issued with a direct instruction from ANC headquarters, after President Mbeki appeared on an episode of SABC 3 current affairs show Interface. Mr. Molefe apparently issued the instruction at a meeting of senior news executives, including the SABC's head of television news Amrit Manga, and acting head of radio news Zolisa Sigabi.

This amounts to a full-on assault on the rights of South Africans to receive impartial, balanced news from the state broadcaster. It is simply unconscionable that any political party would be dictating editorial policy to the SABC.

Mr. Molefe needs to explain his behaviour to Parliament.

This development has only emerged publicly after an SABC senior manager - presumably in the process risking how own job - leaked the story to a national newspaper. One wonders, given the apparent indifference that Mr. Molefe expressed to revealing he was getting his marching orders from Luthuli House, how commonplace this sort of behaviour is. Ironically, Mr. Molefe's behaviour appears no different to that of Snuki Zikalala under President Mbeki - it is becoming increasingly clear that each faction of the ANC simply treats the SABC as a public relations arm, to be utilised when in power. When the neutrality of the state broadcaster becomes this severely compromised, one of the fundamental democratic rights of the citizens of South Africa is abused, and the DA will write to the chairperson of the portfolio committee to request that a meeting is called with Mr. Molefe at the earliest opportunity.