SABC election coverage under pressure as funding shortfall sparks legal concerns
A funding shortfall is raising concerns about whether the SABC can provide adequate coverage of the local government elections, particularly for audiences outside major urban centres.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is facing pressure as a funding shortfall looms over its coverage of the upcoming local government elections on November 4. The funding gap threatens to reduce the broadcaster's ability to fulfill its mandate, according to Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), a media watchdog organization.
MMA director William Bird warned that the lack of funding could significantly limit coverage, particularly for African language speakers and those in rural areas who rely on the SABC for news and information. Bird stated that the MMA would release an interim report on media coverage this week, but the limited coverage would affect the dissemination of information to the general public.
The SABC's funding issue has been ongoing for over 30 years, and while the broadcaster's managers are confident in delivering the election coverage, some political parties have already experienced the impact of the limited resources. EFF MP and spokesperson Sixolishe Gcilishe highlighted the challenges faced by the EFF during election campaigns due to the SABC's restricted resources.
ActionSA's Michael Beaumont criticized the broadcaster's lack of coverage for parties outside the government of national unity, suggesting a permanent solution involving increased allocation during election years. The Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Solly Malatsi, acknowledged the SABC's funding requirement and engaged with President Cyril Ramaphosa and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to address the issue.
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