The Democratic Alliance on Wednesday questioned the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s motives in declining to “take the lead” in organising the series of election debates between President Thabo Mbeki and DA leader Tony Leon as requested.
“The basis for this decision, we are told, was that it ‘would not be appropriate for the SABC’ to do so,” DA communications director Nick Clelland-Stokes said in a statement.
“This is a curious justification, to say the least,” he said.
It is not only “appropriate” for the public broadcaster to organise such debates during an election, but it is its democratic obligation to do so.
“The real motive of the SABC appears to be to protect their political master, President Mbeki, from further embarrassment over his timorous refusal to debate with Tony Leon.
“It is interesting to note that the formal reply was written by the chief operating officer of the SABC, Mr Solly Mokoetle.
“Mr Mokoetle is a former head of Radio Freedom, the ANC’s radio station in exile,” he said.
Mbeki, as head of the ANC’s information and publicity department in the 1980s, would have been his boss.
The ANC’s overwhelming consideration in refusing a debate was that Mbeki “can only lose from such a contest”.
“This may well be true. But, he is likely to lose far more by not debating — for he is conveying a message of aloofness from, and contempt for, the voters,” Clelland-Stokes said. — Sapa
Special Report: Elections 2004