The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) urged political parties and the public on Friday to take complaints about the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) election coverage to the SABC itself and to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), and not to the IEC.
”We are not the public broadcaster. If you feel that the coverage of the SABC is not equitable, please talk to advocate [Dali, SABC group chief executive] Mpofu, Dr [Snuki, head of SABC news] Zikalala or Icasa,” said the IEC’s Pansy Tlakula.
She was speaking at the public broadcaster’s presentation of its election-coverage strategy, which includes scheduled news features, live coverage and outside broadcasts of community debates.
The broadcaster has been criticised for its coverage ahead of the March 1 election, with the opposition Democratic Alliance having already submitted its first grievance.
Mpofu said the broadcaster is committed to equitable coverage based on news value.
”If Dr [Pieter] Mulder’s [Freedom Front Plus] party announces that he will want to merge with Azapo [the Azanian People’s Organisation], that will be newsworthy and we will cover that prominently,” he said to loud laughter from the Mulder delegation at the presentation.
Icasa’s Bruce Mkhize said it will monitor election coverage closely and be in charge of allocating the free pre-election broadcasts and monitoring the paid-for political advertisements aired during the election period.
”We do not expect equal treatment of parties by the broadcasters, but we expect equitable treatment and equitable treatment means fair treatment.” — Sapa