SABC dumps news for sports – DA furious
The DA wants Icasa to investigate why the SABC has dumped news bulletins to air soccer games.
THE DA is furious over the move by the SABC to drop TV news bulletins to air World Cup games. They have written to the broadcasting watchdog Icasa “to investigate without delay”.
The Tsonga/Venda, Siswati/Ndebele and Afrikaans news bulletins were reportedly bumped off the SABC this week to make way for the double-header group games being played at the time the news usually airs the party said in a statement.
“The dumping of these news bulletins would appear to be in contravention of the SABC’s Charter, its editorial policies and its Code of Practice. These documents state that the SABC must treat all official languages equitably and commit the SABC to furthering the rights of all South Africans to receive and impart information,” the DA’s Gavin Davis, Shadow Minister of Communications said today.
He added that the South African public had a right to stay informed about current affairs, in the official language of their choosing. “The World Cup should not be allowed to deprive people of that right,” he said.
