CWU: SABC removing indigenous current affairs shows
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has accused the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) of ditching indigenous current affairs shows in its proposed new structure.
The union briefed the media on Thursday on the looming retrenchments at the public broadcaster.
CWU secretary-general Aubrey Tshabalala said the public broadcaster plans to scrap current affairs shows in Tshivenda and Xitsonga.
“This means that the SABC now has officially abandoned its core mandate as a public broadcaster in the heart of their corporate plan.
“In TV news, the following current affairs have been done away with: The Zwa Maramani, which is Tshivenda, Ngula ya Vutivi, which is Xitsonga. The reasons are purely based on commercial reasons.
“This is the serious reversal of all the gains made during a political breakthrough in 1994. This move is not in the interest of building a nation that is living in harmony, united in diversity.”
Tshabalala slammed the SABC for keeping similar shows in English and Afrikaans.
“We have current affairs show that are still maintained, Fokus in Afrikaans with the same stuff, Cutting Edge in Nguni with the same stuff and Special Assignment in English. They have been kept on air in the new structure. It is important to indicate that this structure was not presented to the commissioner at the CCMA during the Section 189 processes.”
