The South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) R2-billion bailout should be withheld until its board is replaced, the Young Communist League (YCL) said at a protest against the public broadcaster in Johannesburg on Thursday.
”The board must go, then they can get their money,” YCL spokesperson Castro Ngobese said as about 1 000 producers, technicians and actors picketed against the SABC.
Ngobese accused board chairperson Kanyi Mkonza of using the SABC’s money to fund the Congress of the People (Cope).
”That is why they don’t have it, because the money is in Cope,” Ngobese said.
Babies in prams, household stars, bare-breasted women and a dog were among those picketing outside the SABC to raise concerns about the broadcaster’s financial troubles.
Reworking a song popularised by President Jacob Zuma, they sang ”Awulethu imali yami” (bring my money) as they stopped traffic outside the SABC’s headquarters in Auckland Park, Johannesburg.
Marching under the umbrella of the TV Industry Emergency Coalition, about 1 000 actors, producers, writers and technical people danced and laughed, saying they were pleased they had finally come together as one group to highlight a growing list of concerns.
These include worries that the SABC is not paying for work on time, causing a knock-on effect in the industry; that it was not commissioning enough local content; and that it was not paying for repeat programmes.
The Imbabazane Cultural Organisation felt that African tradition was being sidelined and their dancers expressed this view by joining the march wearing only their traditional beaded skirts and necklaces.
”We want the SABC to broadcast shows we can be involved in — shows with African culture — because they are leaving us out,” said Manto Makama.
”I’m here to demand a forensic audit,” said Sewende Laan actress Vinette Ebrahim, who plays Charmaine in the popular soap opera.
She said she was disgusted that people weren’t being paid and were losing their houses, as a small child carried a poster reading ”no money for school fees, please help”.
Actor Michael de Pinha, well known for his role in the ”Yebo Gogo” advertisements for Vodacom, said while he had never struggled to receive payment, he was there in solidarity with producers, who were battling.
Peter Goldsmid, who is on the committee which organised the march, said: ”We don’t want to bring the SABC down, we just want it to meet its obligations to all South Africans and the industry.”
A man carrying a fake tombstone with the words ”RIP SA stories” was among the star-studded crowd.
”I am here to mourn the death of South African storytelling,” he said, explaining that he doesn’t get paid for rewrites and he and his family struggle to find money to feed their small baby.
Artists’ manager Gaenor Becker said they also never get paid for repeats even though it is in the actors’ contracts.
Meanwhile, Archie the bulldog, wearing a Zulu beaded collar and a red bandanna watched proceedings with canine reserve as he strutted alongside his master, post-production worker Guy Steer.
”A lot of our clients are struggling and the volume of work is decreasing,” Steer said.
”They said it is the downslide in the economy, we say it is the mismanagement of funds.”
Some of the posters being carried read: ”The revolution will not be televised (no budget)”, ”SABC gravy train, you are at the end of the line”, ”Pay your crews, it’s the right thing to do”.
The SABC board was meeting on Thursday as the march took place. — Sapa