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SABC's Snuki 'plain bad news'
03/07/2006 11:11 - (SA)
The sticky pickle in which the SABC finds itself is one of its own making and, in my opinion, there is absolutely
no need for an internal inquiry - which, I believe, lacks credibility anyway - but there still is a way out of the
mess.
The solution is quite simple really: chief executive Dali Mpofu must fire his news executive head, Snuki
Zikalala, immediately.
Zikalala is the reason some cynics are now derisively saying SABC is the abbreviation of Snuki African
Broadcasting Circus, and I can see their dejected point of view quite clearly.
The man is plain bad news; if the
broadcaster wishes to salvage what little credibility it may have left, then the only thing to do is to fire this
political appointee right away.
There will never be any rest from internal "crises" and scandal for as long as Zikalala remains in charge of
managing the news operation.
He arrived back at the SABC after a short stint at the labour department, having left the corporation
unceremoniously in the first place.
No sooner had he come back then there were serious tensions at Auckland Park, eventually leading to the sudden
resignation of a capable CEO, Peter Matlare, who had a wealth of experience in broadcasting management.
The replacement was Mpofu, a genial and very intelligent fellow who very soon got to see how Zikalala did
things.
The erstwhile political commissar to Bulgaria somehow forgot that his "deployment" to the SABC
required him, as is the case with every staffer, to abide by the constitution of the country and produce information
to the populace, which had a right to be informed.
Zuma fired too
Thabo Mbeki controversially fired deputy president, Jacob Zuma, and replaced him with Phumzile
Mlambo-Ngcuka, a very controversial move which was roundly condemned by Zuma's myriad followers.
Mlambo-Ngcuka had her baptism of fire when she was heckled and booed loudly at a Women's Day service in
KwaZulu-Natal, which was attended by various news media including the SABC.
Zikalala's broadcast of the events completely ignored the booing and heckling of the woman. But when e.tv
broadcast the episode, the SABC resorted to plain lying, claiming their freelance reporter at the scene had not
captured the sound bytes because he was "inexperienced and thought the noise was not necessary".
When the truth emerged, as it always does, the cameraman threatened to sue the SABC and the corporation's
spokesperson was made the sacrificial lamb and departed.
Professor Guy Berger, of the journalism school at Rhodes university, headed yet another internal inquiry, which
in my opinion merely whitewashed the mess - and Zikalala was unjustly let off the hook.
Now he has reportedly banned a number of commentators from the air, their common denominator being that
they are very often critical of Mbeki's policies and methods.
An imbongi claimed the other day that those commentators have been made to believe they hold copyright to all
critique about the government, and I say balderdash.
If indeed the man has a case, to correct that perception would
mean having to balance their views with those preferred by Zikalala and his cohorts. During a broadcast featuring
William Mervyn Gumede, for example, put a praise-singer (very weak) like Sandile Memela opposite him, and
then see which of the two viewpoints the viewers will believe, trust and respect more.
Zikalala must be made to understand that the SABC is not his personal fiefdom, and it must earn its
self-proclaimed name of public broadcaster, which in my view it is not.
It is and always will be the state
broadcaster, as driven by the political commissar.
Businessman Zwelakhe Sisulu, chairperson of the latest in-house inquiry, is a member of the ANC which Zikalala
reports to.
He is also a past CEO of the SABC, and I foresee a basis for believing the inquiry is already fatally
riddled by conflict of interest right at the outset.
If anyone needs to be appointed to tell the SABC to do what is patently obvious, then at least appoint a judge of
the high court to do the job - and follow his recommendations to the letter.
Jon Qwelane's column is published each week on News24, courtesy of Jon Qwelane and the editor of Sunday Sun, which originally carried the article.
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