/ 8 January 2009

VIP unit returns confiscated SABC material

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) footage that was confiscated during a scuffle with the president’s VIP protection unit has been returned, reported the broadcaster on Wednesday.

However, certain parts of it appear to have been deleted, said SABC head of news and current affairs Snuki Zikalala.

The Presidency’s VIP protection unit confiscated equipment from the SABC during a scuffle on the N12 outside Johannesburg on Saturday. President Kgalema Motlanthe’s motorcade was involved in an accident during which a red VW Golf apparently collided with, or got too close to a car in, the president’s convoy. Motlanthe was unhurt.

When SABC journalists arrived, their footage was confiscated.

On Wednesday, Zikalala said that after carefully studying the contents of the returned footage it appeared as if some parts had been deleted. He said the SABC had informed the police about this and they had promised to investigate.

SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said: ”We have talked to the police hierarchy to investigate the matter.

”It does not mean we have opened a case with the police. This is just a matter between us and the VIP police where we have informed them about the situation.” – Sapa