The exposure in court of political manipulation by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in favour of the African National Congress (ANC) in 2006 was on Wednesday welcomed by the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef).
“Sanef welcomes this searing exposure of the dishonesty of [Snuki] Zikalala, [Dali] Mpofu and the official SABC spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago, as a vindication of the complaint of the Freedom of Expression Institute [FXI],” said Sanef media freedom committee chairperson Thabo Leshilo in a statement.
The FXI requested the review of a dismissal of complaints by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) regarding the SABC blacklisting of certain political commentators, as well as news manipulation.
The then-SABC CEO, Dali Mpofu, appointed a commission of inquiry into blacklisting allegations. The inquiry findings were never released.
A high court ruling ordered Icasa to pay the costs of the FXI application and to relaunch a probe into the institute’s complaints.
Leshilo said that the vindication of persecuted staffers at the SABC was just as important as the court ruling.
SABC radio news head Pippa Green had, despite threats, complained to Zikalala over what was going on and radio presenter John Perlman exposed the blacklisting of commentators.
“Sanef looks forward to Icasa’s complaints and compliance committee carrying out the court order by delving even more deeply into the conduct of the violators of journalistic and broadcasting standards and ethics,” Leshilo said. — Sapa