SABC is ‘losing face’, says Democratic lawyers association

One is left with an unshakable and frightening impression that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is facing serious operational challenges and losing face as an independent voice‚ says the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADEL).

“It is for this reason that NADEL‚ as a human’s right organisation‚ cannot remain silent‚” said the organisation’s spokesman Memory Sosibo on Thursday.

“Independent media stands as one of the crucial guardians of Democracy as it is able to foster an effective‚ accountable and responsive government. It gives a voice to the voiceless and brings matters of importance into public knowledge which allows for meaningful political participation. In order for the SABC to remain effective it needs to maintain its independence and more so to be seen as independent.”

NADEL voiced its concerns against the backdrop of the state broadcaster resolving not the air footage of violent protests and the suspension of three senior journalists for disagreeing with management instructions to not report protests against it by civil rights group Right2know.

“Perhaps what is more alarming is the resignation of the SABC’s acting chief executive officer‚ Jimi Mathews‚” said Sosibo. “One is left with an unshakable and frightening impression that the SABC is facing serious operational challenges and is losing face as an independent voice.”

NADEL said the SABC had‚ in the past‚ been accused of self-censorship‚ a lack of objectivity and selective reporting. “It is‚ however‚ when those fears emanate from within the public broadcaster that alarm bells start ringing.

“We as NADEL therefore call upon the SABC to urgently resolve its operational issues in order to improve what has been reported as a toxic working environment within the public broadcaster. The SABC needs to create a working environment that clearly outlines the journalistic responsibility of its staff and enables them to execute their functions without any fear‚” said Sosibo.

“Media ought to make comments that are fair and report news in a manner that is in the best interest of the public. There are mechanisms that exist to guard against intolerable media coverage; the SABC therefore should not seek to self-regulate. The SABC is further called upon to take steps towards regaining the public’s confidence in it as an independent voice which serves the best interests of society.”

 – TMG Digital