SABC denies any internal crisis, appoints new acting CEO
The South African Broadcasting Corporation's (SABC) chief financial officer James Laguma was on Tuesday appointed as acting chief executive following Jimi Matthews's protest resignation after he had criticised the way the public broadcaster was being run.
SABC board chairman Mbulaheni Maguvhe added that Laguma's previous position would be filled by Audrey Raphela while Simon Thebele would serve as head of news.
Maguvhe, who briefed media at Auckland Park via a video stream from Limpopo, denied any crisis at the public broadcaster, saying people resigned from organisations all the time.
"I want to reassure the public and staff members that [the] SABC is not in a crisis. We need to understand that people cannot be at the SABC as workers forever. Thanks to the hard work of Mr [Hlaudi] Motsoeneng for getting us [the] necessary funds to be able to fulfil our public mandate. You will hear necessary announcements in the future," said Maguvhe.
The urgent press conference followed Matthews' resignation on Monday, which saw him post his letter on Twitter. Therein, Matthews said that what was happening at the SABC was wrong and that he could no longer be a part of it.
In addition to Matthews resignation is the suspension of at least three journalists who reportedly refused to adhere to the SABC's new rule to not cover protests. In response to the sus, several other journalists had reportedly written to chief operations officer Motsoeneng asking for clarity on the public broadcaster's editorial policy. The journalists has also allegedly raised concerns about news censorship at SABC newsrooms.
SABC journalist Lukhanyo Calata came out on Monday, criticising his employers. He said his employers had implemented news censorship, something for which freedom fighters like his father - Fort Calata of the Craddock Four - had not died.
Motsoeneng also denied that there were problems within the SABC and said there was no revolt within the organisation.
"When a few people cough, the media says there is a revolt in the SABC. What revolt? There seems to be an agenda by the media against the public broadcaster. I have seen that letter [by journalists] but I have not attended to it yet," said Motsoeneng.
Members of the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) picketed outside the SABC offices on Tuesday, decrying Motsoeneng's management style and demanding that he resign immediately.
The SA Communist Party (SACP) has planned protests at the SABC next week to demand that the public broadcaster reverse its "apartheid and draconian-styled censorship of protests". - ANA