No evidence has been found of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) blacklisting some commentators and analysts because of their political views, the public broadcaster reported on Thursday.
SABC chief executive Dali Mpofu revealed this during a morning talk show on SAfm radio.
Mpofu said a commission of inquiry had found there was no blanket ban on certain political commentators and analysts.
”There was no discernible political bias in any of the decisions that were taken,” he said.
”In fact, it was said there was certainly no pro-government stance or anything in any of these exclusions.”
The commission — made up of former SABC head Zwelakhe Sisulu and advocate Gilbert Marcus — was appointed by the current SABC management to investigate the matter.
This came after allegations that the SABC’s head of news, Snuki Zikalala, had ruled certain commentators and analysts should not be used on air because of their political views.
Business Day columnist Anton Harber wrote on Wednesday the inquiry revealed that Zikalala had broken the broadcaster’s own code of conduct.
He said the report on the outcome of the probe cited at least eight incidents where Zikalala transgressed.
It concluded he did so by not using certain commentators and analysts for reasons that were not ”objectively justifiable”.
The inquiry also found that Zikalala made a misleading statement when denying the existence of a blacklist which banned certain analysts.
The commentators included political analyst Sipho Seepe; William Mervin Gumede, author of Thabo Mbeki and the Battle for the Soul of the ANC; political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi; and Business Day political correspondents Vukani Mde and Karima Brown.
All of the commentators are considered to be outspoken and generally critical of President Thabo Mbeki.
Harber said his information on the contents of the report came from two people who, he said, had read the document. He did not name his sources.
The commission handed its report on the matter to Mpofu last week. – Sapa