BENNIE BUNSEE (1935 – 2015): TRIBUTE TO A SOBUKWE-BIKO WARRIOR!!!
When Steve Biko died, according to the poet, birds never sang, the wind never blew,…
When Steve Biko died, according to the poet, birds never sang, the wind never blew,…
In 2008, I was interviewed on SABC’s Motsweding FM by Mr. Goitsemodimo Seleka about the…
I watched the parliamentary debate on 17 February after many years of not watching that…
Victor Gqweta, or Sabelo Phama as he was popularly known, was called to head and…
One of the moves that can send shock waves down the spines of ANC bigwigs…
The African people’s struggle for liberation started in the 1400’s when the continent was invaded…
In the early 1990’s, former ANC President Nelson Mandela went to fund-raise money from the Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan. In the sixteen years that it has been in power, ANC mouthpiece, the SABC, has reported once about Farrakhan yet Farrakhan raise issues of importance to Africans and people of African descent. He also speaks inconvenient truths and politicians, who are a bunch of liars, hate people like Farrakhan. That is why he can’t be covered by the public broadcaster (SABC). He speaks truth to power.
If one looks at public broadcasters in other countries, one realizes that as brands they are synonymous with quality local content and enable their audiences to find local content across all platforms and content genres, creating and building the national identity and connecting creative nationals with audiences and each other. They project their countries’ values and perspectives to neighboring countries and do not become cultural imperialists. They are available to all citizens regardless of geographical or economic circumstances and present on all delivery platforms. They are critical sources of information. They are trusted sources of news and information backed by the highest editorial standards. Can this be said about the SABC radio and television programmes? The unfortunate answer is NO.
However I would like to single out a Motsweding Radio programme hosted by Goitsemodimo Seleka as an exception. It is unbiased. Seleka doesn’t have an axe to grind and a chip on his shoulder. He is a watchdog and not a lapdog or a poodle of the ANC. Is the SABC a critical source of information? Is it a trusted source of information and backed by the highest editorial standards? Me thinks not.
The question is, should the public broadcaster do what private radio stations like Radio 702 does? Radio 702 did exactly that to me several times. One time I wanted to challenge Hope Papo of the ANC who during a talk show said that journalists at journalism schools were not being taught to portray Africa in a positive light. Whose role is it to develop a curriculum that teaches African reality? Is it not Papo’s ruling ANC? In fact, as Sali pointed out, teaching positively about Africa should start at kindergarten, then primary and to high school and not at journalism schools.
Commissioner’s resignation not newsworthy
News about the resignation of South Africa’s Deputy National Police Commissioner,
Former Police Deputy Commissioner, Tim Williams.
Former Police Deputy Commissioner, Tim Williams.
Tim Williams, is a cause for concern. Newly appointed flamboyant Police Commissioner, Bheki Cele’s Spokesperson, Nonkululeko Mbatha, said she didn’t know why Williams resigned.
Williams tendered his resignation on the 15th September at the National Press Club in Pretoria but strange enough the story wasn’t in the news at all on all the SABC’s radio and television news channels. This prominent resignation coincided with the Police top brass’s media conference at which they rattled the sabre.