MUCH has been said about the SABC’s unconstitutional decision not to screen news events of violent protests and destruction of property.
Civil society organisations, opposition parties and trade unions have demonstrated outside Luthuli House and the SABC in the past weeks, calling for dialogue with ruling party officials, and even for the sacking of the SABC board and its acting chief operating officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
But, what Motsoeneng has been doing at the SABC is extremely sinister, with far-reaching and very dangerous implications for our democracy.
For example, the attempts to choke off discussion of important news by cutting out the programme The Editors on SAfm radio is an example of the Zuma-esque anti-intellectualism the SABC is aiming at.
There is a deliberate move to dumb down the thinking of our people, under the guise of a “local is lekker” broadcasting menu, and cut them off from the wider thought world of humanity.
Invited editors would normally discuss the coming week’s news items, also proffering their considered views as to the political and social significance of current events. The opinions of South African listeners and viewers are clearly very threatening to the ruling elite, of whom Motsoeneng now sees himself as chief praise-singer.
An advertisement that is being shown on SABC 3, which is meant to attract local viewers, suggests to the South African public that they have no need to occupy their minds with matters of any substance. In the ad, a man is shown watching television. The presenter on the TV programme announces that he will speak about “The industrial revolution”.
A moment later, this topic is deemed “boring”, and viewers are encouraged to turn to the “local” fodder of the SABC. This is an example of a very, very, dangerous trend, violently opposed to a democratic culture. We as Africans do not have occupy our minds with stupid European ideas like “The industrial revolution”. We are decolonising, so we can offer you Jou Ma Se Chef or the Divas of Jozi and The Honchos.
We can all have a lekker African jol, and to hell with those Europeans.
This advertisement is a formidable insult to the youth of this country, that they do not have brains, and that they can ignore the broad sweep of human history, which has given us much of our civilisation. Of course, we can drive Mercs and BMWs and fly in Lear jets, and carry on as if we invented it all.
Then, no one in the country would seriously object to a fair hearing being given to local music and drama.
We applaud local artists and writers being given the opportunity to earn well from their creative efforts.
The notion being posited – that there are only certain kinds of music suitable for African listeners is another example of Motsoeneng’s extremely limited cultural reach.
I refer to the axing of a wonderful two-hour SAfm radio programme of classical music, which was flighted from 4am-6am each morning. In its place, we have thumpity-thump, thumpity-thump. Can we take a man seriously who banishes Mozart, Chopin and Beethoven from the airwaves, and that in the pre-breakfast slot? Are we seriously taking this music as a threat to the minds of the African people?
I have no problem with Motsoeneng not having a matric certificate (although he should not lie about it). But, the truth is we have a chief operating officer trying to act as editorial manager, arts manager, financial manager, education manager, all at once, when he does not have the required competence for any of these roles. We, who pay for the public broadcaster, require the best for our people. What is happening at present is totally unacceptable to the taxpayer.
And we cannot expect Communications Minister Faith Muthambi to deal with the crisis. She appointed Motsoeneng, and is part of the problem. As usual, the Presidency is silent.
The vital role of the public broadcaster in our country’s democratic culture must be rescued from these Stalinist thugs, for the good of our children, the youth and all working folk, who depend upon it for news, for education and cultural upliftment.
Irma Liberty
Rondebosch