The appointment of the political analyst Dumisani Hlophe, who isn't a journalist, as the SABC's new political editor at SABC News is being criticised as a step backwards for the South African public broadcaster.
Dumisani Hlophe is being slammed as "bad news" for the SABC by the Democratic Alliance political party over his media bias, his patriarchal comments and his comments on photos of half-naked women.
"The SABC's decision to appoint Dumisani Hlophe as political editor is deeply puzzling and worrying," says Phumzile Van Damme, the DA member of parliament and the party's shadow minister of communications, about the appointment the SABC announced on late Friday afternoon.
Dumisani Hlophe will take over as SABC political editor from Monday 3 September. The caustic and so-called Hlaudi Motsoeneng enforcer, Sophie Mokoena, was acting SABC political editor until she quit in July.
Dumisani Hlophe previously made appearances as political analyst on SABC News (DStv 404), eNCA (DStv 403) and the now shuttered Gupta-news" channel ANN7 (DStv 405) (rebranded Afro Worldview).
"Dumisani Hlophe is not a practising journalist, his only experience with broadcasting is as a 'political analyst' on the SABC with 'commentary' often odd and thumb-sucked," says the DA in a statement.
"There are many talented practicing journalists the SABC could have chosen from, who would have been a far better choice. Dumisani Hlophe does not inspire confidence at all. He is bad news".
According to Dumisani Hlophe's Twitter account, he appears to be a patriarch with tweets proclaiming men as heads of the family and commenting on pgotos of half-naked women, says the political party, noting that Dumisani Hlophe has shown "special loathing for the Democratic Alliance.
Dumisani Hlophe has tweeted things like:
"The irony is: whilst @MYANC is keen to demilitarize and weaken the Left; it always leaves the Right to strengthen itself. It castrated @_cosatu; @SACP1921 and now targets @EFFSouthAfrica nut it has no plan to weaken the right wing agenda led by @Our_DA."
"Where are the DA Headquarters? I am in Cape Town and I want to march there and demand the reintegration of Cape Town into South Africa."
"Maimane to stand for DA's parliamentary leader. Another darkie Zille project. Just where society will see a fake de racialised DA."
"The media dubs criticism of Thuli Madonsela as an attack on the Public Protector - interesting indeed. I think she is soft on the DA."
Dumisani Hlophe has also attacked South Africa's media:
"@pinkykhoabane in the quest to be ANC critic, the media overlapped to be an addition to ANC opposition. Hence, they contain DA journalists."
"The mainstream liberal media is a key player in South Africa’s politics. It is not an independent observer."
"No Bruce. That’s a mere bourgeoisie spin. Absolute liberal self-serving propaganda. The fact is: this shows a clear collusion between senior politicians in public office and business sector in advancing their mutual interests."
The Democratic Alliance says "we truly hope Dumisani Hlophe will prove our misgivings about him wrong and fulfill the SABC's mandate to be impartial, independent and provide a reasonable, balanced opportunity for the public to receive a variety of points of view on matters of public concern, especially during an election year."
"His appointment is a step backwards for the SABC, and is discouraging given the excellent appointments it has made of late."
