EFF condemns SSA intimidation of the SABC Head of News

29 April 2024

The EFF condemns the State Security Agency (SSA) for its nefarious and politically motivated intention to subject the SABC Head of News, Moshoeshoe Monare, to security vetting. Vetting process, particularly Top Secret, is not a requirement for any of the SABC management personnel and only political motives would motivate such a decision.

The SABC Head of News, Moshoeshoe Monare, was already subjected to vetting fitting for his position upon his appointment 2 years ago. To repeat a vetting and upgrade it to Top Secret is pure intimidation. Top Secret vetting means he must be put on a lie detector and subjected to other intrusive investigations. This type of vetting only happens for those who must access state secrets if employed by the state or are members of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence. No one in the SABC has to undergo such rigorous vetting because the organisation does not deal with state secrets.

The SSA cannot be mobilized against the SABC, let alone journalists within its ranks.
The SABC is a public broadcaster, not a state broadcaster. Its independence and duty to journalistically and artistically hold the executive and all of society accountable is a constitutional right that must be protected by any means necessary.
The EFF will write a parliamentary question to the Minister in the Presidency and the President to establish the reasons behind such a move by the SSA. We shall ask them to account as to whether they are aware and if they approve of it. Finally, we shall call on them to stop the madness at once.

The silence of the SABC board and CEO is also suspect. It may very well be that there is a conspiracy to fire the SABC Head of News so as to gain unprecedented access to the newsroom on behalf of the ruling party whose electoral woes are written on the wall.
The EFF maintains that the ruling party sent the SSA to tame the SABC news department, especially to transform the newsroom into a propaganda machinery of the ANC. Society must reject this move with all the contempt it deserves.

The EFF calls on the SABC board and management to protect the institution and its journalists from state intimidation. They must not only condemn the move but be ready to defend it through court action.

Issued by Leigh-Ann Mathys, National Spokesperson, EFF, 29 April 2024