African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma has lashed out at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in a letter, accusing it again of bowing to political pressure when it suddenly pulled a planned interview with him.
"I write to you to record my concerns at the conduct of the SABC, especially the department that deals with news and current affairs, and what somehow appears to me to be political influence over editorial decisions," he said in a letter to SABC chief executive officer Dali Mpofu on Monday.
The incident comes barely two weeks after the ANC's extended working committee effectively stripped Zuma of his powers and said he could not appear on public platforms as its deputy president without the party's permission pending the outcome of his rape trial.
Zuma was approached for an interview after he was chosen as Newsmaker of the Year for 2005.
But the SABC decided to pull the interview at the eleventh hour citing a long delay by Zuma in accepting the invitation and that the sub judice rule came into play after he was charged with rape.
But Zuma accused the corporation of hiding behind the sub judice rule.
"Having been surprised by this decision, I then called Mr Manga (acting head of television news, Amrit Manga) on Thursday morning and informed him that I found the reasoning for the withdrawal absurd, seriously concerning and indeed surprising."
In the letter, Zuma details how Manga rechecked with the SABC's lawyers but was again told the sub judice rule stood.
"It is common cause that the sub judice rule is there to protect the rights of the accused - which in this case is me - and fair process.
"The prerogative would therefore rest with me in terms of how much I wish to discuss about the case," he said.
He argued that since he was charged with corruption, he had been interviewed several times - by the SABC among others.
"In all these interviews, I have been the one who has been mindful of what can and cannot be discussed, and it was I who has always cautioned the journalists, including those from the SABC, about the sub judice rule.
"I find it difficult to believe that considering all the events of this year and the impact these have had on our society, your journalists were unable to ask me anything other than the facts relating directly to the two cases," Zuma said.
He said he would have accepted the SABC's decision not to interview him unreservedly had it not used what he termed "excuses".
Zuma said he found it "concerning and unsettling".
The decision, he stated, was even more worrying as it came from the SABC legal team who should know better how the sub judice rule operates.
"The incident leaves me gravely concerned and with a feeling that political pressure was exerted on senior staff of the SABC which led to this decision.
"When speaking to Mr Manga, I made this point and went further to say the SABC should avoid giving some of us the impression that there are political pressures that at times are used to influence certain decisions or results," he said.
"Some of us will not allow the media and particularly the public broadcaster which has a duty and responsibility to act fairly and impartially, free of political influence, to take decisions that are open to different interpretations," he said.
ANC secretary-general Kgalema Motlanthe on Monday, however, firmly denied any involvement in the decision.
The SABC said it would not comment on the matter until it had time to decide on a course of action.