Daily Dispatch
A light amid SABC gloom
IT HAS been a year to remember for the public broadcaster, with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
After years of internal wrangling, the mess finally came pouring out at an ad hoc parliamentary committee probing the SABC board.
Journalists and former news heads testified about abuses that took place at an institution that is supposed to inform the public about national affairs.
That there has been so much manipulation and truly shocking treatment of journalists who just want to do their jobs in an unbiased, unprejudiced and impartial way is disconcerting.
The inquiry has been postponed to next year and will no doubt continue to lift the lid on more revelations within the corridors of the broadcaster with a key focus on a dysfunctional board which saw its chairman Mbulaheni Maghuve being the last member to resign last week.
While it is unacceptable, the broadcaster has come to this point after years of red flags over the mismanagement by boards that were not in line with what its members were appointed to do.
However, last weekend we enjoyed a sliver of good news when the SABC’s United Nations (UN) bureau chief, Sherwin BrycePease, received a great accolade for his exemplary work at the world body when he was elected to the prestigious position of president of the UN Correspondents’ Association.
What is of a greater significance is that Bryce-Pease hails from East London, and it is a recognition of his talents in the media field.
It was also the first time that a South African – and an African – has headed the team of correspondents in New York since the association was established.
The job entails Bryce-Pease interacting with the UN secretary-general and his deputy and to be responsible for ensuring that the UN and its member states are accessible to the media.
It is a proud moment and the African Editors Forum (TAEF) joined in congratulating him for what it calls “a historic elevation” for a major achievement that bodes well for journalism in Africa.
TAEF chairman Jovial Rantao said they had all the confidence that Bryce-Pease would not only do well but would help push the African agenda.
“We also congratulate Sherwin and videographer Aaron Berger, who were named joint winners in the broadcasting category of the UNCA. We are proud of their achievements,” he said.
But there are hurdles ahead. US presidentelect Donald Trump does not seem enamoured with the United Nations, which he says has “great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad”.
Trump’s relationship with the world body may be testing for the new media bloc – and for Bryce-Pease, who we hope will live up to the challenge.