- The SABC’s head of news accused the Group CEO, Madoda Mxakwe, and the board chair, Bongumusa Makhathini, of gross editorial interference.
- It is alleged that Mxakwe attempted to force the news team to conduct an interview with Cyril Ramaphosa, who was campaigning in Limpopo at the time.
- It is also alleged that Makhathini instructed the news team to cover the Zulu king fallout from a different perspective.
The SABC’s Group chief executive officer, Madoda Mxakwe, and the board chair, Bongumusa Makhathini, have been accused of editorial interference after allegedly attempting to force SABC News to cover an interview with ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, as well as the Zulu king fallout story.
The allegations were contained in a complaint letter to the SABC board by the head of news, Phathiswa Magopeni, this week.
Magopeni penned the grievance letter after the SABC decided to institute disciplinary action against her for alleged negligence and bringing the public broadcaster into disrepute.
Magopeni had disputed the reasons for the disciplinary action against her and instead believed it was an attempt to push her out after she allegedly refused to adhere to instructions by Mxakwe and Makhathini, which amounted to editorial interference.
In the first instance, Magopeni alleged that Makhathini called her around the end of May/beginning of June, to speak about a story relating to the Zulu Royal Family.
Magopeni said:
Specifically, he made a point about what he perceived as a single perspective narrative that was playing out in the media concerning succession issues following the passing of the King of Amazulu, He referred to the court process that had ensued and that the story of the other side of the family needed to be heard.
Magopeni alleged that Makhathini sent court papers in a white envelope handed to her by a security guard at the SABC.
She says he later sent her a statement titled, “Statement by the prince and princesses of the Zulu Royal Family” – but told her not to release it yet.
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On 7 June, he then allegedly sent her an audio clip meant to prove that King Misuzulu was not suitable for the position.
Afterwards, Makhathini allegedly instructed Magopeni to release the statement.
“I never did,” Magopeni said.
“SABC News has a competent team of journalists in KZN, who have been doing an incredible job in covering the province, and I have full confidence in their ability. I did not need any assistance from the board chair to do my job.
“I had thought that, in his role, and someone who had always claimed to protect the newsroom, he would lead by example to affirm its independence.”
In the second alleged incident of editorial interference, Magopeni claimed that, on 24 October, Mxakwe called her because the ANC’s Pule Mabe apparently wanted to set up a radio interview for Ramaphosa, who was campaigning in Limpopo that day.
Private radio station
Magopeni said the idea was to have the SABC go to a private radio station to cover an interview set up for Ramaphosa.
“I objected to this because SABC News is a public news service, with a national footprint servicing 18 radio stations, and allowing this would have made a mockery of the SABC’s own radio stations and undermining the capacity of its journalist to do the same.”
She added that the editors were also aware of a pending interview with Ramaphosa, which the SABC had asked for.
“The calls I received from Mr Mxakwe went beyond seeking clarity about why the interview could not be done. He was putting undue pressure on me to coordinate that the interview is done, despite this falling outside the News Division’s editorial processes and being outright interference.”
Magopeni further claimed that Mxakwe even mentioned speaking to the minister of communications about the issue, which she found bizarre, as it was an editorial matter, saying:
I kept explaining why this was wrong and in violation of the prescribed editorial processes.
Magopeni further noted that no one from the ANC had called her and that the party was allegedly communicating directly and exclusively with Mxakwe.
“Despite all my objections, I was subsequently informed by the regional editor in Limpopo that he had been told the interview was to be done with the ANC president as agreed to by radio management and apparently Mr Mxakwe.
“In my communication with the regional editor, I pointed to this as a breach of editorial processes and that no SABC News journalist should take part in that interview as it was not discussed and sanctioned by senior editors, as was the case with all editorial content, particularly elections coverage. As a result, the interview did not happen.”
An attempt to recap
Magopeni claimed that Makhathini called her on the same day, and apparently attempted to recap what Mxakwe had said to her.
“I said I had done nothing because it would have been an editorial transgression.
“He went as far as saying the ANC president was in his final leg of the campaign and would be making his way to the SABC afterwards.”
Magopeni held firm that there was no plan to interview Ramaphosa on that day – and that SABC News would not get involved as it would amount to editorial interference.
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“What made me extremely uncomfortable was him saying that we have worked together successfully for four years, which is correct, but for him to use this to pressure and blackmail me into engaging in wrongdoing was an appalling disregard of editorial governance.
“I refused his request and told him explicitly that I could not compromise editors and journalists in the newsroom, who had worked so hard putting their lives at risk to ensure that our editorial decision-making process and related output are beyond reproach.”
Magopeni said she believed that her refusal to do the interview led to “the strange charges against her”.
“I have every reason to believe that the frivolous charges and the disciplinary process by the SABC’s executive against me have a direct link to my refusal to do what they wanted.”
According to the letter, the SABC instituted disciplinary charges against Magopeni following the flighting of a Special Assignment episode that had been interdicted from being aired.
Magopeni was held responsible for the decision to broadcast the episode, but she maintained it was not her fault the episode aired and, instead, the scheduler had to account.
“I endeavoured to create a safe space for journalists to practice their craft and serve the country’s citizenry independently and impartially and within the prescribed editorial framework,” she said.