Johannesburg – Sunday, 26 May 2024 – The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has noted the allegations by former President Jacob Zuma stating that the SABC has banned him from expressing his views.

The SABC would like to state that the allegations are not true, as from the onset of the formation of Mr. Zuma’s political party, Umkhonto weSizwe, the public broadcaster has covered the party’s activities. In other instances, the SABC has contacted Mr. Zuma’s team for interviews and there was no positive response, and this did not derail the team from trying and even adhering to the invite from his party to cover its activities, including its rally on 18 May 2024.

On 22 May 2024, Mr. Zuma’s team contacted the SABC’s Political Editor to cover the party’s announcement in Durban. The SABC duly responded to the invitation to cover the story, the team was only allocated less than 10 minutes and was told not to ask any questions. In this coverage, Mr. Zuma repeated everything that he said at the rally on 18 May 2024, which the SABC covered extensively. In this regard, the team was not able to explore any new angle that would have deemed the story newsworthy. Following the normal editorial processes to broadcast the story, the editorial team decided that there was no new angle to broadcast it.

It is therefore disingenuous to suggest that the SABC has banned Mr Zuma or his views.  The SABC’s Editorial Policies are anchored on the highest editorial standards, incorporating the values and principles of the Constitution, the requirements of the law including the Broadcasting Act of 1994 and its Charter which stipulates that the SABC must offer a plurality of views and a variety of news, information and analysis from a South African point of view. In its coverage, the SABC is also enjoined to comply with the ICASA regulations.

Group Executive of News and Current Affairs Mr. Moshoeshoe Monare stated that “The SABC always exercises absolute independence and impartially in all its editorial decisions and will not any point suppress anyone’s views. All editorial decisions are based on what is newsworthy and the SABC will always cover stories but the final decisions for final broadcast rests with Editors. In this instance, SABC News Editorial team stands firmly by its decision as there was nothing new that was offered in the interview in question”.

The SABC is committed to ensuring that it continues to execute its public interest obligation of with providing news that is fair and void of ethical drifts in editorial decision making.

ENDS

Issued By: Group Communications

Media Enquiries: Mmoni Seapolelo (Acting Group Executive: Corporate Affairs & Marketing)

Seapolelomv@sabc.co.za | T. 011 714 3057 | C. 073 688 1590