'Snuki got off too lightly'
2007-03-08 16:05
Johannesburg - The SABC board should have acted more strongly against SABC news head Snuki Zikalala regarding his controversial blacklist, said the SA Communist Party on Thursday.
Spokesperson Malesela Maleka said his party had been "shocked" to learn that Zikalala had received only "a slap on the wrist for his shocking actions".
Deputy communications minister Radhakrishna Padayachie said on Wednesday Zikalala was warned of stronger action if blacklisting of certain political commentators by the SABC happened again.
Maleka said: "The question of censorship is indeed a very, very serious matter.
"We did not wage the struggle for the liberation of this country and the transformation of the public broadcaster only to return to some of the worst practices of the SABC under the apartheid regime."
He warned that the SABC would lose the public's interest if it did not report "without fear or favour".
Last year, on Zikalala's orders, Aubrey Matshiqi, an independent political analyst, William Gumede, author of a book on President Thabo Mbeki, and Business Day staff Vukani Mde and Karima Brown were blacklisted by the SABC.
- SAPA