Press Statement – SOS Coalition Notes With Concern Further Instabilities at Our SABC – 11 April 2012

The SOS: Support Public Broadcasting Coalition notes with grave concern the latest developments at our public broadcaster, the SABC, regarding the Head of News, Mr. Phil Molefe, being placed on special leave for the second time this year. As regards this latest crisis, SOS needs to be convinced that the placing of Mr. Molefe on special leave – and creating yet another gap at the management level – is in fact in the best interests of the public broadcaster and all viewers and listeners.

So given this latest crisis what is to be done? The SOS Coalition believes there are a few critical principles and actions that need to be followed. These include:

• the need for strong public statements from all stakeholders that they will fight to build a strong, transparent, independent, citizen-orientated SABC;
• a commitment from Parliament and ICASA to play their critical oversight roles and to thoroughly follow up on issues of good governance and accountability;
• the Minister of Communications to swiftly implement the broadcasting policy review process; and,
• a strong public statement from the SABC Board and management around their vision for the news department

Press_Statement_-__SOS_Concerned_With_Further_Instabilities_at_SABC_-_11_Apr_2012