SABC leaves viewers in dark as ANC pollsters stoned

ANC CAMPAIGNERS were stoned and chased out of KwaZakhele in Port Elizabeth during door- to- door campaigning on Thursday evening. The story was the lead item on Thursday night’s eNCA news bulletin, but was not mentioned on SABC news.

The Tuesday to Thursday 6.30 and 7pm bulletins on SABC were marked by positive ANC campaign stories, with little time afforded to opposition parties.

The 6.30pm bulletins on eNCA, by contrast, offered more coverage. Thursday evening, however, brought the most obvious omission when the eNCA bulletin led with ANC members doing door-to-door campaigning in KwaZakhele in Port Elizabeth.

They were stoned and chased out of the area by angry residents who also did not afford Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Bheki Cele an opportunity to address them.

The campaigners were pulled out of houses they were visiting, vehicles were stoned and tyres burnt in the streets. Community members in the report cited dissatisfaction with the current ward councillor candidate as the cause of the chaos, and said in interviews they would not “allow the ANC to campaign in the area” until their demands were met.

Cele was later seen departing the volatile area, leaving local leadership to deal with the situation.

The SABC however, led with disgruntled IFP members who had visited IEC offices to lay charges of intimidation against the NFP.

The SABC’s coverage of KwaZakhele was less than 30 seconds long. It contained no footage of the violence and only showed Cele confirming the party was confident about winning Nelson Mandela Bay municipality.

Also on Thursday, the SABC failed to report on statements made by EFF leader Julies Malema in Marikana in North West, where he threatened the EFF would “arrest President Jacob Zuma” should they get the chance to lead South Africa.

ENCA also reported a polling survey which indicated the ruling party had gained a 3 percent increase in Tshwane but was losing support in other areas, with DA support growing and the EFF gaining ground.

The broadcaster announced Icasa would make a decision on the issue of censorship on Thursday.

asanda.sokanyile@inl.co.za