The ANC political party in South Africa says it demands more coverage than what it's getting from the South African public broadcaster, and says the struggling SABC has to be protected from editorial interference like ministers and SABC board members who shouldn't be allowed to call journalists directly and give them orders and "instructions".
The ANC on Monday afternoon made its submission at the SABC's inquiry into SABC News editorial interference that was closed to the media, and afterwards held a press briefing.
The ANC and its ministers are interestingly not taking any responsibility for the near-collapse of the SABC, with the ANC as the governing party and its corrupt ministers and deployment appointments that are directly to blame and responsible for the horrific destruction, dilapidated state, financial woes and many of the multiple crisis that the SABC has found itself in and is battling currently.
Zizi Kodwa, the ANC's head of the presidency, said at the press briefing that the ANC demands more coverage on the SABC ahead of the 2019 general elections in South Africa.
"The ANC enjoys 62% - how that gets carried out in terms of editorial news is something one way or another it must show," said Zizi Kodwa.
Zizi Kodwa said the ANC wants proportional coverage according to voting percentages to give the ANC the most airtime on the SABC.
Zizi Kodwa said the ANC is concerned about ministers and SABC board members who directly interfered in SABC editorial coverage.
"We think we must protect the corporation from such influence, board members who can just at the drop of a pen, can call a journalist." According to Zizi Kodwa not even ministers have the right to directly call journalists and give "instructions".
Pule Mabe, ANC spokesperson, said the ANC political party supports press freedom and an independent SABC, saying "We came here to make that kind of a presentation and to assert the view we will do everything in our power to protect that press freedom".
