Emmy winner 'Miners Shot Down' misses SABC cut

25 November 2015 - 02:16 By Tymon Smith

Rehad Desai's documentary on the Marikana strike and massacre, Miners Shot Down, won yet another prestigious award yesterday, in New York - the International Emmy for best documentary feature film. Neither the SABC nor e.tv has screened the film.The film, which chronicles the events leading up to the confrontation between police and striking miners, and the death of 36 miners on August 16 2012, has made a strong impression on audiences throughout the world over the past two years.It has won more than 20 awards at local and overseas festivals."We are continuously humbled by the way the film is being appreciated by audiences all over the world," said director Desai before the gala awards ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in New York. "It shows how deeply disturbed people are about what happened at Marikana."It is now three years on and the commission of inquiry came to a close a year ago. We await a fair and just outcome for the victims."Following the announcement of the award, people took to Twitter to point out that it had been conferred despite local broadcasters refusing to screen the film.DA MP Phumzile van Damme said yesterday that her party would ask Minister of Communications Faith Muthambi why the SABC had failed to show the film."It is unacceptable that the public has been denied the opportunity to see this world-class documentary because it tells the story of the Marikana massacre from the perspective of the miners and is critical of the ANC government's role in the massacre," said Van Damme."The SABC forgets that its mandate is to broadcast content that is in the public interest, not in the ANC's."Marikana widows and family members marched to the SABC in August to hand over a petition asking for the documentary to be aired. The broadcaster has given no indication that it will accede...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.