The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) have resolved their differences with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) over news coverage of labour issues at a meeting in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Editorial staff at the SABC, led by MD of news Snuki Zikalala, met with Cosatu secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi and SACP leader Blade Nzimande on Monday, the SABC said in a statement.
”Cosatu and the SACP clarified that their main concerns arose out of the manner in which SABC news covered certain aspects of the Youth Day rally in KwaMashu, Durban, on June 16 and the Cosatu general strike on June 27 in two specific news bulletins.
”Cosatu acknowledges that the coverage of labour issues by SABC has improved. Cosatu and the SACP, in making their criticism, do not seek to turn SABC into an uncritical lapdog of labour either.”
The SABC said the parties agreed on certain principles at the meeting, including that the broadcaster works to a public broadcasting mandate and that it has a duty to tell the South African story in a manner that is accurate, fair and balanced.
”This guarantees, among other things, that SABC news contextualises its reports by disclosing all the essential facts and not suppressing or distorting relevant and available information,” the broadcaster said.
”The code also compels SABC News to report in a manner that enables South Africans to make informed decisions about their lives.” — Sapa