Malatsi rejects claims of deliberate SABC election funding delay

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi has refuted allegations that the failure so far to make additional funding available for the SABC’s local government election coverage, has been deliberate.

He was speaking at a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee where the public broadcaster and ICASA, were briefing Members of Parliament (MPs) on the state of readiness to cover the November 4 polls.

South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) CEO, Nomsa Chabeli, has assured Members of Parliament (MP) that the public broadcaster will cover the November 4 local government election, to the level its finances will allow. https://t.co/APj9cQ258Y pic.twitter.com/AkXvvAeTVi

— SABC News (@SABCNews) October 2, 2026

In previous meetings, the SABC’s financial conundrum has been discussed at length, but there is still no indication if the funding will be secured. During Friday’s meeting allegations were made that the uncertainty and lack of funding was deliberate, so that not all parties get coverage.

However, Malatsi says it is not the case. “No party, whether in government or outside of government, would be in favor of a situation that does not promote fair indebt coverage, because nobody stands to benefit from that. So, there is no decision made to gag any political party. It would be inappropriate to do so.”