The transformation of the SABC’s controversial R200-million commissioning process hangs in the balance once again, writes Ferial Haffajee
The SABC’s programming manager, Mandla Langa, is likely to quit the corporation. If he leaves, Langa will be the third broadcasting executive whose attempts to clean up the corruption in commissioning procedures have been frustrated.
Commissioning is a R200-million industry on which the survival of the local production industry depends. Langa’s attempts to overhaul commissioning and to centralise this lucrative work in his office has precipitated a power struggle reaching to the heights of South African television.
Langa has been nominated as a councillor to the Independent Broadcasting Authority. He is also shortlisted to head the Film and Video Foundation – a government adviser on film policy.
His decision to job-hunt appears to follow the axing of his assistant, Alby James, last month. Now the future of 800 proposals for SABC1, submitted to the corporation in line with Langa’s new plans, hangs in the balance.
This week sources charged that those who had sided with the Langa and James clean-up were being sidelined as the channel heads fight to control commissioning. One of them is the head of SABC1, Eric Nhlapo, who had three senior members of his staff reassigned to other jobs without his being consulted.
It is understood that Thaninga Shope (SABC2 channel head) and Theo Erasmus (SABC3 channel head) fought tooth and nail to can the draft commissioning procedures. For now, they have succeeded. The draft, written by James and presented to the industry in November, is likely to be substantially changed before going back to the SABC board in April.
Independent producers have for many years alleged that corruption is rife in the granting of programme contracts. James was brought in to assist Langa’s efforts to clean up a notorious system.
One view is that the talented James, who in a short time won great respect, was fired because his proposals were too radical and would have upset too many apple-carts. The SABC has settled out of court with James – an effective admission that its allegation that his residency was illegal was a trumped-up charge to get him out of the way.
The other view is that the BBC-trained dramatist rode roughshod over the locals and assumed more authority than his consultancy granted to him.
Now Langa stands to become the third agent of change to quit in the attempt to reform the industry. Both Jill Chisolm (the former CEOof television) and Melanie Chait (former commissioning editor) left after their attempts failed.
Producers of the more than 800 proposals submitted in December are on tenterhooks, but the process is said to be way behind schedule. James’s assistant responsible for processing proposals was also axed by the SABC when she was halfway through the proposals.
SABC1’s efforts at reformation were applauded by the industry. Intended to be the start of the new way, the proposals are meant to be logged into a computer system so producers will be able to keep tabs on process all the way through. The new system was designed to eliminate the suspicion and skulduggery that has characterised commissioning.
Now the industry is more in the dark than ever before. Said Quetello Zeka of the Independent Producers Organisation: “We want to know where the new commissioning procedures stand.” The organisation will meet urgently with SABC television CEO Molefe Mokgatle next week to clear up the confusion.
Mokgatle said the processing of proposals would only be delayed by “about a month”. He added that the new commissioning procedures were on track, that meetings would be held with the industry at a programming conference on March 3 and 4 and a final draft put to the board in April for approval.
“New commissioning procedures are a key objective for the television division,” said Mokgatle.
Langa did not want to comment on his imminent departure. He said that he was working hard to bring everybody in on the loop and to iron out reservations.
“My major preoccupation,” he said “is to manufacture as much consent as possible. With the new procedures, the buddy system will not kick in.”