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When the IFP marched on the SABC on the 14th of September 2012, we did
so in recognition of the fact that we have tried every other avenue of
engaging the SABC to address the entrenched political bias evident in
our public broadcaster. It is therefore no surprise that today's media
reports have again vindicated the IFP's concerns.

It is a matter of great concern to the IFP that the public broadcaster
is again, today, making news for all the wrong reasons. We were
optimistic that the SABC would be able to rise from the ashes, address
its critical challenges and chart a new way forward. Clearly, this has
not been the case.

Reports today that the SABC struck a deal to buy a 1000 copies of the
ANC-aligned New Age newspaper every day, despite concerns from staff
that the broadcaster was spending a fortune on newspapers that were
not being read, coupled with the fact that it gave the newspaper free
exposure worth millions on Morning Live, is more evidence that
political interference has been built into the SABC system and
ruthlessly exploited by the ANC-alliance. It is again abundantly clear
that the SABC is not an independent public broadcaster, but a state
broadcaster that panders to the ruling party.

The IFP also remains concerned with reports that continue to resurface
that rules were bent to appoint the allegedly politically-connected Mr
Hlaudi Motsoeneng as Chief Operating Officer, under irregular
circumstances.

One wonders how the SABC can legitimately claim that it trying to turn
around the fortunes of the ailing, cash-strapped broadcaster, when it
dishes out R3-million in sponsorship to a now discredited ICT Indaba
willy-nilly, while losing R438-million through fruitless and wasteful
expenditure.

This renewed crisis at the SABC hampers its ability to operate
efficiently in fulfilment of its mandate as a public broadcaster.

Quite clearly, we cannot, in the national interest, allow the present
paralysis to continue. The latest internal squabbles, scandals and
ugly in-fighting at the public broadcaster is cringeworthy to say the
least. One feels sympathy for the staff at the SABC, who continue to
work under very difficult circumstances.

The IFP is of the view that it would be prudent of the Minister of
Communications to launch a full Commission of Enquiry into the state
of affairs at the public broadcaster. Such an enquiry will help all
people concerned, that is those who serve on the Board and the
Executive management, to have their names cleared or otherwise, of all
sorts of unsavoury accusations and allegations and most importantly
whether there has been any political interference and manipulation.

The IFP hopes that Treasury will not consider granting the
R180-million now needed for the SABC's 24 hour news channel. Surely,
struggling South African taxpayers, deserve answers first?