Hindu programme hangs in the balance
THE cash-strapped SABC will not air Sadhana – The Inward Path, until its producers secure advertising revenue and the public broadcaster sees “a return on investment”.
The programme has been produced by African Lotus Productions, owned and directed by Suda Sing since 2010.
It was aired on the SABC every Sunday morning and completed 10 seasons in the past decade.
Sing said the programme was initially called Sunday Sadhana, but changed because at one stage it had moved to a Saturday slot.
He said the show had grown from an initial 12 minute slot to 23 minutes and had a yearly contract with the SABC.
“A few years ago, the contract was changed to six months due to the financial challenges at the SABC. For six months of the year, the SABC aired our new content and then for the next six months it repeated episodes.”
Sing said the company held a good record with the SABC, in that they kept to the budget and deadlines.
“Due to this good record our contract was always renewed.”
Sing said in January this year, he was expecting the contract to be renewed.
“By February, when I did not hear from the SABC, I contacted them for a meeting. We scheduled a meeting for March, but it was postponed.
“We arranged another meeting towards the end of March because I was going to be in Johannesburg at the time. But, on the morning of the meeting it was cancelled. The reason given was that the toilets in the building were not
working and staff were not going to the office.”
He said the SABC then contacted him and scheduled another meeting for April.
“It was an online meeting and I was hoping for some positive feedback. My staff were also included in the meeting because it affected them too.
“It was then that we were told that the SABC had applied for a bailout from the government but it was not successful. They told me they could not air any programmes without a return on investment,” Sing said.
He claimed he was also told that the programme could not continue with the same name and needed a new identity.
“They were basically leaving it in my hands to find the advertising revenue to keep the programme going. This, despite the SABC having a department that looks at marketing and sales initiatives.”
Sing said he then met local Hindu organisations and a businessman for assistance. “I put together a business plan and submitted it to the SABC. I am still waiting for feedback.
“The greatest strain on me, is that I have a lot of employees who have been with me for many years. They are all skilled workers. Their livelihoods and dreams are at stake,” he said.
In a bid to sustain his employees financially, Sing said he had been doing recordings of weddings and other functions.
“If Sadhana goes off air there will be nothing left for our local community. This is happening just before the elections and once again the minorities are being marginalised.”
This week, Hindu organisations raised their concerns about the possible canning of Sadhana.
Ashwin Trikamjee, the president of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, said it was unacceptable for the SABC to have said it did not have the money to continue broadcasting the show.
“The production team needs to reach out to communities for help and take the matter up with the SABC because this is the only show that addresses the Hindu community.”
Shirley Naran, the spokesperson for the Tamil Federation of South Africa, said it was disappointing to hear that there was a possibility the show would be discontinued.
“We urge the SABC to strategise their planning. This is the only programme on local television that promotes our Hindu culture, arts and religion. We support these shows and we look forward to watching them.”
The SABC did not comment by the time of publication.