Political interference at the SABC rears its ugly head again

22 July 2020

Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbite by DA Shadow Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Phumzile Van Damme MP

Yesterday evening, a much-awaited meeting with the board of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) regarding the retrenchments process at the public broadcaster was deliberately derailed by the ANC.

The SABC had been invited to brief the Communications and Digital Technologies about amongst other matters, its turnaround strategy and plans to retrench staff.

It was clear at the start of the meeting that the ANC “study group” had decided beforehand that it would not allow the SABC to present. Its members bizarrely stated that the SABC had not answered questions in the presentation, before any questions were even asked. It was clear that the ANC members had in fact not read the presentation. As an example, a member repeatedly used the excuse that the SABC had not included the matter of the public broadcaster’s legal costs in their presentation despite it being there.

That the SABC was not allowed to present and be asked crucial questions about its retrenchments process is a serious let down for staff members who had been waiting for its public representatives to ask crucial questions about the process, and get answers.

The ANC must not be allowed to use the retrenchments at the SABC to score political points and create the impression that it sides with the public broadcaster’s staff.  It was part of National Treasury’s conditions that the SABC cut its wage bill before it was given a bailout. In fact, in previous meetings the SABC informed the committee that the Deputy Minister, Pinky Kekana had agreed that retrenchments must take place.

It is a grave pity that the ANC is once again using the public broadcaster to score political points, instead of listening to both sides of the story and assisting to find a middle ground. SABC staff members are looking to Parliament for leadership, and the ANC failed to give that leadership and provide them much-needed answers.

The DA will continue to push for answers, and looks forward to engaging with the representatives of SABC staff member when the committee meetings this evening.

The DA will continue to push for a fair process at the SABC. One that saves as many jobs as possible, as well as ensure that the SABC can break even and never seeks another bailout.

Issued byPhumzile Van Damme,DA Shadow Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, 22 July 2020