A BBC documentary on child rape in South Africa will be broadcast in Parliament on Tuesday for viewing by MPs who are concerned that it may present a skewed picture of child abuse in the country.
Concern about the documentary was raised by Parliament’s special task team on child abuse in a report tabled in June.
Task team chairman Cas Saloojee said on Monday that MPs had asked to see the documentary, which is to be broadcast overseas and not locally.
”We just want to satisfy ourselves.”
Earlier this year, African National Congress MPs reportedly expressed worry that the documentary had the potential to devalue the rand, and portrayed South Africa as ”the leader in all aspects of bad things”.
Local film producer Cliff Bestall appeared before the task team during its public hearings to talk about his experiences in making the documentary, but found himself under fire from the MPs.
They reportedly objected to the parading of South African babies, and questioned whether the victims’ families had given consent for them to be filmed.
In a letter to National Assembly deputy speaker Baleka Mbete earlier this year, Saloojee said many ethical issues around the filming, as well as the key objectives of producing the documentary, had not been adequately answered during Bestall’s presentation.
Among the questions posed by Saloojee was how the documentary would avoid presenting a ”seriously skewed” picture of sexual abuse of South African children. He also raised concerns about whether there had been informed consent.
There was also a need to be sure that no financial incentives were used to ”blind” the participants to the consequences of the film, Saloojee wrote.
The letter to Mbete was forwarded to the home affairs ministry, which in turn forwarded it to the Film and Publications Board.
In a lengthy reply, the board advised that local producers of the documentary should be contacted for a copy.
”After all, there is no point in getting all worked up if the documentary does not cast government and the country in an unfavourable light.”
Bestall said at the time the documentary did not identify anybody.
”We have been extremely circumspect. We would not want to hurt any of the subjects. We have also taken legal advice to make absolutely sure that we fall within the law.” – Sapa