Matthews ‘admitted SABC bias’

PROBE: EDITORIAL INTERFERENCE

Former news boss has said Motsoeneng banned EFF coverage, the party says.

The ruling party should not be given airtime if it has nothing newsworthy to say, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) told an inquiry into allegations of editorial interference at the SABC in Johannesburg yesterday.

EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi told inquiry chairperson Joe Thloloe news should not be handled like advertising.

“For example, the president [Cyril Ramaphosa] might do his morning walks and you tell me every day about the walks? That is not news.”

Last week, the ANC’s Zizi Kodwa told the inquiry the governing party should be allocated 60% coverage compared with other parties.

Ndlozi disagreed, saying: “This is an attitude that points to arrogance and entitlement, coming from a person who is not even a member of parliament.

“It boils down to marketing of a political party, not news.

“Something is not newsworthy only because it has 60% or 1% representation in parliament.

“If news should be fair, balanced and critical, it cannot use proportional representation. News must remain in the orbit of journalism.”

He said the EFF, as a new political party, was marginalised by the SABC, especially before and during the 2014 general elections.

“When former head of news Jimi Matthews left the SABC, he publicly stated that a decision was taken to block EFF coverage.

“When other media, such as eNCA, Al Jazeera and Son, invited the EFF to speak on their platforms, the ANC saw the EFF as a nuisance and banned commander-in-chief Julius Malema and the EFF, as Matthews has said.

“We cannot be discriminated against because we’re seen as a nuisance.”

Matthews admitted to censoring the EFF while he was at the public broadcaster and that he took the decision, but not alone.

The instructions came from disgraced former chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng, who along with some in the ANC, held the view that Malema should not get coverage, Matthews said in an interview.

Thloloe asked Ndlozi if there was any evidence that showed the ANC “called the shots at the SABC”.

Ndlozi said he doubted there was evidence in writing, or a recording.

“This was done in a way that it would not leave a trace ... it is not even an ANC resolution, but Matthews’ statement proved it.

“One way to get to the bottom of it is through confessions by those in the higher echelons at the SABC,” Ndlozi said.

Ndlozi suggested Thloloe should invite Matthews to the inquiry. – ANA