ANC YOUTH LEAGUE IS DISAPPOINTED BY THE DECISIONS OF SABC CEO FOR TAKING FACTIONALLY MOTIVATED DECISIONS ON SABC NEWS COVERAGE

The ANC Youth League is disappointed and disgusted by the South African Broadcasting Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Lulama Makhabo for taking factionally influenced and motivated decisions, in particular her coercing Head of News Phil Molefe to take a special leave due to his protection of SABC editorial policy and practices as reported in The Star newspaper of 11 April 2012 (see report in The Star).

It is becoming clearer now that Makhobo was appointed to pursue factional agendas in the SABC, and not fulfil the public broadcasting mandate of the SABC. She should know from the beginning that all SABC CEOs who lead the Public Broadcaster with a narrow factional agenda and mandate never last in the SABC, and if that is her mission there, her days as a CEO of the SABC are numbered.

Placing Head of News Phil Molefe on a special leave is politically motivated, despite the fact that he has been at the forefront of award-winning initiatives in the SABC, such as Touching Lives, which has profoundly contributed to the socio-economic development of many people in South Africa.

We will not be shocked if Mr Molefe is ultimately fired for protecting the editorial policies and practices of the SABC, because the faction that influences appointments of CEOs believe that they are in control of everything in South Africa today. If there is a programme that should be placed on special leave in the SABC with immediate effect, it is the programme that align with a factional, family owned, and politically aligned newspaper (newsletter) called The New Age.

The SABC CEO, the Masters, and the faction should once again be reminded that South Africans, particularly members of the ANC are not stupid and will never be manipulated by television. The people know what is right and what is wrong, and the people always want to be told the truth.

The fact that the interview of ANC YL President had the most viewership, far above family newspapers' sponsored shows, is because the people of South Africa are always searching for the truth and they know where the truth comes from. Attempts to suppress the voice for economic freedom in our lifetime will never succeed.

There can be bannings, no coverage on SABC, banishments, persecution, suspensions, expulsions, disbandments, and all forms of apartheid inspired tactics to shut down the voices of economic freedom fighters, but they will never succeed.

For obvious reasons, the SABC calls for the immediate reinstatement of Head of News and demand that the News department continue to operate within the policy frameworks of the SABC. Failure to do that will not only be a loss him as an individual, but to the Public Broadcaster because more and more viewers will continue to leave and ignore factional reporting and programmes.

Statement issued by the ANC Youth League, April 11 2012

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