The SABC’s correspondent in Zimbabwe was an experienced journalist who had worked for a number of credible news organisations and the stories he produced were of a high journalistic standard, the corporation said on Wednesday.
The SABC was reacting to a statement from Democratic Alliance’s representative Dene Smuts, in which the party expressed concern over allegations that the corporation was using a Zimbabwe correspondent who was known to be ”a slavish disciple of the current (Zimbabwean) regime”.
The DA would be writing to the SABC to establish the facts, said Smuts. The party wanted to know whether the South African government had a hand in the rumoured appointment, since the ”quiet coverage” that Supa Mandiwanzira would supply would perfectly complement the government’s quiet diplomacy towards Zimbabwe.
”We remember that some of the SABC coverage of the Zimbabwean election was remarkably quiet,” said Smuts, asking whether a correspondent such a Mandiwanzira would cover Zimbabwe or cover it up.
SABC representative Victor Dlamini said the corporation had recently upgraded its coverage of Zimbabwe by employing Harare company Mighty Movies, of which Mandiwanzira was an employee. Mighty Movies would provide material when the SABC’s own Harare correspondent, Brian Hungwe, was covering events outside the town.
The editorial control of the Harare office remained with the SABC, said Dlamini. Dlamini did not comment on DA statements that Mandiwanzira was a nephew of President Rob Mugabe’s wife Grace, and that he received a farm, Lang Glen, in Zimbabwe’s infamous land-grabs. – Sapa