MMA raises concern over conflict on SABC Bill amid financial crisis

Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) has expressed concern about what appears to be a conflict in the government of national unity regarding the SABC Bill when urgent measures need to be taken to ameliorate the financial position of the public broadcaster.

MMA Director, William Bird says the decision by Communications Minister Solly Malatsi to withdraw the SABC Bill was correct as it was widely considered to be flawed.

Bird says among the problems, were that the Bill sought to get rid of the editor-in-chief at the SABC and make that the role of the CEO as well as allow for gross ministerial interference.

Bird says public broadcasting funding models need to be urgently researched and short-term solutions placed before parliament to address the SABC’s financial plight.

“If you look at the money they’ve given away and thrown at the SAA. Yet, every time they’ve done something for the SABC it hasn’t been here’s R5 billion. They’ve said here’s a loan and every time SABC has paid it back. So, unlike other public interest entities, they’ve just happily given them the money and not demanded that they pay it back, they haven’t done that with SABC. The question you have to ask is why. We need a public broadcaster if we’re going to stay a democracy. So the question is how do we fund it? We have to find a way – it’s not that hard.”

Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has withdrawn the SABC Bill aimed at reconsidering the funding model for the public broadcaster as its unfunded public mandate was considered unsustainable.

Malatsi says the urgent priority is to develop a funding model that will allow the public broadcaster to be financially sustainable. He says he has already informed National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza of his decision.

However, the Chairperson of Parliament’s Communications and Digital Technology Committee Khusela Diko has expressed grave concern following the withdrawal of the Bill.