ANC renew calls for media tribunal

“Indeed the ANC has given the media [a chance] to look at itself and to introspect, including on matters of transformation,” he told reporters at the NGC meeting in Midrand, Johannesburg.

“You know that that there are four players that continue to occupy this [media] space with impunity, be it in printing or distribution. From where we are sitting we don’t think the media, print in particular, has indeed respected the space they have been given by the governing party to look at itself critically,” Mthembu, a former ANC national spokesman, said.

“That is why delegates are saying, apart from all these issues, the media is also playing an oppositionist role to the ANC and its government. In fact, in the [NGC] commission, members of the ANC said there is desirability for a tribunal. They asked why we had retreated,” he said.

Small Business Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said delegates resolved to speed up implementation of the party’s conference resolutions, calling for the establishment of a parliamentary inquiry into the feasibility and desirability of a media appeals tribunal in line with the Constitution.

“I think the first thing that the ANC would want to make as a statement is that in that discussion it was very clear that nobody is of the opinion that we must not respect the Constitution of the country in as far as media freedom is concerned. However, with the experience of the last five years or so, the feeling is, that strongly, the ANC as a liberation movement and as a ruling party, is being relegated either to the back pages or a lot of what is reported is on the side of the negative,” she said.

“We are saying, we want to deal with the negative narrative. We think that part of how we can do it is by finalising this issue of a media tribunal. It has been going on for ten years. We want certainty on the matter. The commission was very clear about it. They want it done but through the proper constitutional processes; that is why it was said the parliamentary process must now kick in and be very vigorous.”

Regarding broadcasting infrastructure and services, Zulu said delegates urged government to attend to corporate governance problems bedeviling the SA Broadcasting Corporation.

Asked what the intervention would entail, Mthembu responded: “There are other views that the SABC might have been captured by capitalism. Is it true? We don’t know. Why are all these negative aspects of the board and management always repeating themselves within this very important public broadcaster? Others are saying you have so many people and wonderful expertise [at the SABC] but do you have that expertise at the highest management level? Have you employed, and properly employed, people that can take charge of this R6 billion industry?

“We have been given a clear mandate by the delegates. They said we must speak to government and stabilise the SABC. We cannot… be sitting on the sidelines and seeing all sorts of problems playing themselves out at the SABC – whether it be at management or board level. The ANC cannot remain aloof to the destruction of this public broadcaster. Our members have said let there be accountability on what is happening at SABC,” he said.

Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Siyabonga Cwele agreed several issues were raised by delegates regarding the corporate instability of the SABC.

“The main issue was that we should really, seriously attend to all these corporate governance issues and make sure there is stability in the management and that the SABC should focus on its core business and mandate,” he said.