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.

The SABC’s request for funding for a 24-hour news channel is deeply problematic considering the financial turmoil the public broadcaster is currently facing. As it is, the SABC is unable to meet the requirements necessary to pay back its current loans. Instead of continually requesting handouts from government, the SABC needs to do the following to get back on track:
Replace all acting heads of department with permanent placements to create a stable working environment;
Employ a "fit for purpose" CEO who can steer the SABC out of the turbulent waters it is currently navigating;
Focus on regaining public popularity by improving content and sticking to the public mandate, which is to educate, entertain and inform;
Improve the working environment of SABC employees to ensure maximum productivity and skills retention;
Resist any political interference to ensure that the SABC remains a public broadcaster, as opposed to a state broadcaster.
The SABC needs to focus on fixing its organisational problems before taking on any new projects, especially projects of this scale. Many SABC employees are currently facing retrenchment, and a recent oversight visit revealed that numerous employees had not received increases or annual bonuses despite achieving and surpassing targets set for them.

The SABC needs to get its house in order before requesting public funding for a multi-million rand project.