The Idols judge Unathi Msengana on M-Net and SABC1 were found guilty of contravening the Broadcasting Code when, during the live broadcast of the 2012 Sama Awards, Unathi Msengana used the word "m*therf_er" while children watched and which the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) found to be "grossly offensive".
SABC1 has admitted error and apologised, as has Unathi Msengana who is herself a mother of children.
SABC1 was not given a fine by the BCCSA. The BCCSA Tribunal found SABC1 to be "in serious contravention" of the code protecting children and their exposure to grossly offensive content. SABC1 was officially reprimanded after the BCCSA received multiple complaints about Unathi Msengana's conduct during the live awards ceremony.
"Some of us live with kids and its very upsetting to hear someone whom they take as a role model speak like this on national TV," said one complainant. "I understand that this was a live show and therefore blame her for her lack of discresion," said another. "She should have acted responsibly as a radio and TV personality presenting an awards show on prime time national television. My whole family was watching and I could not believe my eyes."
"Unathi Msengana swore on television," read another complaint. "She didn't appear remorseful as she didn't apologise even on Twitter when her followers brought it to her attention. My 5 year old nieces were watching the show, SABC1 didn't have a PG L for the show as mentioned in the BCCSA Code of Conduct.
"Children are still awake and Unathi said I quote 'm*therf_er', please take measures to this bad language for our nation," said another complainant.
SABC1 told the BCCSA that the broadcaster went into "great detail" - because its a live show - "to brief artists to ensure this [foul language] did not occur. Unfortunately this incident of foul language then involved a presenter. SABC1 told the BCCSA that "although not part of the channel's staff, appropriate action is being taken against the presenter".
In the tribunal hearing Unathi Msengana explained the changing of the SABC approved script from a sanitised version to the explicit version. She claimed that she had raised the use of the word with the director/producer of the 2012 Sama Awards and that she had received permission to change the script accordingly.
The SABC denied that permission had been granted by themselves or any other officially mandated SABC representative and stated that had such permission been sought it would have been denied by them since "they were well aware of the younger audience".
SABC1 admitted that presenters were inexplicably not briefed about unacceptable language use during a live awards show. SABC1 said it will rectify this oversight in future.
The SABC told the BCCSA tribunal that disciplinary action had been taken against Unathi Msengana, and apologised again. Unathi Msengana also apologised for her "inadvertent" transgression of the Broadcasting Code of Conduct.
