Radio host did not insult public protector with ‘useless’ question
TALK show host Eusebius McKaiser did not insult the public protector when he asked her spokeswoman if Busisiwe Mkhwebane was “just useless” during an interview on Radio 702‚ the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) has found.
Mkhwebane’s spokeswoman, Cleopatra Mosana‚ complained to the BCCSA that McKaiser had labelled her boss on air as useless and said this amounted to an insult.
Mosana complained that two interviews – one with Mkhwebane on June 20 and a second with herself on July 11 – were not conducted fairly. The station‚ however‚ argued that the interview was conducted in an appropriate manner.
“Nothing said or asked during the said interview can be considered as unfair.
“Reasonable efforts were made to present opposing views by getting the spokesperson to respond to the criticism levelled against the public protector as well as allowing listeners to call in to voice their opinions‚” it said.
McKaiser had initially interviewed Mkhwebane on her recommendation to review the mandate of the South African Reserve Bank.
A month later‚ he had an interview with her spokeswoman on Mkhwebane’s concession that her recommendation went beyond her powers as the public protector.
During the interview with Mosana‚ McKaiser attempted to get her to explain Mkhwebane’s about-turn. Mosana maintained that Mkhwebane had not got the law wrong. McKaiser asked Mosana: “How did she make such a basic mistake or is she just useless?”
The commission held that this was not a statement but a question‚ “admittedly‚ a rhetorical one”.
It also noted that McKaiser had been frustrated after not getting a rational response from Mosana.