Malatsi denies deliberate underfunding for SABC LGE coverage

The Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, has rejected allegations that the failure to provide additional funding for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)’s local government election coverage was deliberate.

Malatsi was speaking at a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee meeting, where the public broadcaster and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) briefed MPs on their state of readiness for the November 4 polls.

The SABC’s financial challenges have been discussed extensively at previous committee meetings, but there is still no indication of whether additional funding will be secured.

During the meeting, claims were made that the uncertainty over funding was deliberate and could result in some political parties not receiving coverage.

Malatsi rejected the allegations, saying there was no decision to prevent any political party from receiving coverage.

“No party, whether in government or outside of government, would be in favour of a situation that does not promote fair and equitable 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.”

SABC’s election readiness

The SABC says it is ready to cover the upcoming Local Government Elections, despite funding and resource challenges. The public broadcaster has asked National Treasury for R120 million to support its election coverage.