The SOS Coalition wishes Mr Monare well in his journey as the SABC Head of News

The SOS Coalition wishes Mr Moshoeshoe Monare all strength as he begins his tenure at the SABC today, 1 June 2022, as the SABC Group Executive for news and current affairs.

Monare is a veteran journalist and ex-Managing Director Operations and Editor-in-Chief at Arena Holdings. SOS commends the SABC for expediting the appointment process as we know how key this position is. While Monare’s experience in broadcast media is limited, he does have extensive news management experience, which will be of great benefit in many areas including news values and ethics.

The SABC is unique in the South African media landscape with more African language services than any other broadcaster. Making it even more challenging the SABC is still in a precarious financial situation. The SABC also has a deeply conflictual history where various political forces both internal and external seek to influence and shift agendas.

Monare takes the baton from Ms Phathiswa Magopeni. He can be thankful that he enters an SABC which, despite its litany of challenges, has excellent editorial policies, as well as the most independent senior executive and SABC Board for at least the last decade. He should have a high level of protection from other senior execs and the Board.

He will be able to build on the growing credibility and independence of the news on all SABC platforms. Among other challenges, he will have to fiercely defend editorial independence in every instance. He will have to improve the quality of some on-air, field and live reporting. He will need to broaden the scope of news coverage to include marginalised voices from rural areas, informal settlements, gender non-conforming people, women and children, and others.

SOS hopes he builds a strong supportive team around him, and a strong track record of open engagement with stakeholders. We hope that he is transparent and accountable to all SABC newsrooms and South African audiences. SOS will track and monitor his performance, and we look forward to building a sound and mutually beneficial relationship. SOS hopes he is able to take the SABC to new heights of independence and accountability, maximising the ability of the public broadcaster to be a necessary tool in deepening our constitutional democracy.