South Africa's TV industry - including TV executives, producers and SABC insiders - reacted with groans, dismay and universal negative sentiment following South African president Jacob Zuma's latest abrupt cabinet reshuffle.
On Tuesday Jacob Zuma dumped Ayanda Dlodlo as minister of communications and replaced her with Mmamaloko Kubayi.
Mmamaloko Kubayi who now oversees South Africa's TV, film and radio industry and public broadcasting institutions like the SABC has less experience and knowledge of it than an entry to mid-level producer.
Ayanda Dlodlo is gone after less than 6 months, unceremoniously shunted to minister of home affairs.
It means yet another hard reset and a restart that will undoubtedly include local and international "educationals" for Mmamaloko Kubayi on a range of massive crisis issues ranging from the struggling and commercially insolvent SABC, to South Africa's long-stalled digital terrestrial TV (DTT) migration process.
The axing of Ayanda Dlodlo - who recently lost the trust of South Africa's TV industry - and her replacement on Tuesday with Mmamaloko Kubayi makes Mmamaloko Kubayi South Africa's 7th minister of communications in 7 years.
The move was met by universal criticism from South Africa's TV biz, with people in South Africa's TV business but not seeing it move ahead, voicing their scorn and concern.
Several currently working in South Africa's TV business, reacted and spoke on condition of anonymity since they don't want to damage existing working relationships, contracts and agreements.
"Shocking but not shocking," a veteran TV producer doing shows for the SABC and pay-television told TVwithThinus on Tuesday.
"He [Jacob Zuma] clearly doesn't care about South Africa's TV industry. The challenges can't be bigger and yet incompetent communication ministers keep coming and going in a blur. They change nothing except to add to more instability within our broadcasting business."
A high-level TV executive called the situation "hopeless". "Redundant ministry, redundant minister; irrelevant to ordinary people from set builders to programmers to executive producers who just want to earn an honest living in this industry and see conditions improve."
"Disempowering. Disappointing. Another step backwards in ongoing regression. But not surprising, it's what we've come to expect," said a veteran female executive producer who also own a production company. "We don't matter."
"What's first? Another educational to America to familiarise herself with digital TV migration so she's educated for what - the next few months? A listening tour to meet disgruntled SABC staffers? Tea with Icasa? It's quite destabilising," said a studio executive insider.
"Director of Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) William Bird says "to have seven ministers of communications in seven years is simply a disaster in whatever parameter you look at it. Either the government doesn't know what they're doing, they are continuously appointing the wrong people or communications isn't a priority."
The Support Public Broadcasting (SOS Coalition) said in a statement "We are shocked by this morning’s sudden cabinet re-shuffle. This re-shuffle brings the number of ministers of communications to seven under Jacob Zuma's rule".
"This game of musical chairs has caused upheaval and instability that begins in the ministry of communications, runs right through the SABC and can be felt by the millions of SABC dependent households who bear the burdening impact of fluctuating policies and the lack of commitment to public interest, citizen-orientated policy making and broadcasting services."
