eNCA (DStv 403) has started a series of Town Hall Debates that the TV news channel will be broadcasting.
The first eNCA Town Hall Debate leading up to South Africa's general elections on 8 May took place in Cape Town on Thursday last week at 11:00 in the morning and was rebroadcast in full at 19:00 that same evening.
eNCA didn't communicate or announce the addition of its programming event-series to the press beforehand.
TVwithThinus asked eNCA about its Town Hall Debate series on Thursday after 11:00 after the recording of the first Town Hall Debate started in Mitchell's Plain in Cape Town with eNCA anchor Michelle Craig.
In response to the media enquiry, eNCA, in a general press statement it then issued to all media, says that "the aim of these Town Hall Debates is to give South Africans an opportunity to raise their questions and concerns with the political parties, and give the politicians a real understanding of what the people want ahead of the general elections".
Jody Jacobs, eNCA's head of output, says "Political leaders will have the opportunity to address these concerns, clarify their positions on key issues and propose their solutions to the challenges facing our democracy".
After Cape Town that, eNCA plans three further Town Hall Debates with representatives from political parties in various provinces.
Durban (27 March): eNCA anchor Shahan Ramkissoon will host a debate at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) on Wednesday 27 March at 19:00.
Port Elizabeth (11 April): eNCA's political editor Vuyo Mvoko will host a debate at the Nangoza Jebe Hall (Centenary Hall) on Thursday 11 April at 11:00.
Johannesburg (25 April): eNCA's acting editor Jeremy Maggs will host a final Big Leaders Debate at the Johannesburg city hall, on Thursday 25 April at 19:00.
eNCA says that besides the TV broadcast the debates will also be live-streamed on the eNCA.com website.
