/ 4 October 1996

Naidoo sets sights on SABC money

Marion Edmunds

MINISTER of Broadcasting and Communications Jay Naidoo is considering rushing through an amendment to the Broadcasting Act to allow the government to keep some or all of the money raised from the sale of the SABC’s commercial radio stations, according to sources in the industry.

The SABC is hoping to raise more than R500- million from the sale of the radio stations, and is hoping to keep the money, which it needs to fill its emptying coffers. Legally the SABC, not the government, is entitled to the returns from the radio stations. But, according to sources, the government wants to change the law so it can have an option to take a lion’s share.

Naidoo is tight-lipped on the matter, saying only that such an amendment is not an issue under discussion at the moment. His representative, Connie Malusi, said the ministry would get around the problem of the Broadcasting Act if the need arose.

Naidoo this week was engaged in negotiations with the SABC on how the public broadcaster ought to be funded, and what government support would be provided in future. “Detailed budget proposals are being prepared by SABC that will deal with the overall funding of the national public broadcaster. There is no acrimony in these disussions. I am convinced we will come to a satisfactory conclusion on funding,” he said.

The SABC has stated it needs not only the proceeds of the sale, but also extra government funding annually to continue fulfilling its mandate as a public broadcaster, broadcasting in 11 languages. But there is concern within the corporation that future government money may come with strings attached.

Naidoo’s stance on the independence of the SABC is ambiguous. He denies the government will insist on “strings”, but says applications for funds must be properly motivated and the SABC will have to compete with other government institutions, such as the departments of health and education, for funds.

“There are constraints on funds, and applications must be properly motivated. The government has never attached any strings beyond financial accountability to Parliament. No one is above the sovereignty of Parliament,” he said.

SABC representative Enoch Sithole said this week he had heard of a possible amendment to the Broadcasting Act. He expected it to provoke a public row.

“I would hate to say the SABC would fight this one itself,” he said. “We are here on behalf of the public, and it’s up to them to make this an issue.”

The National Party spokesman on broadcasting, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, said his party would support the amendment because the government should get the money from the radio stations, in line with the principles of privatisation. The NP has proposed a parliamentary debate on the state of the SABC’s finances for the next parliamentary session.