Outraged eNCA staffers say 'the ghost of censorship is back', demand an independent investigation into alleged newsroom bias after Jacob Zuma presser was censored.

by Thinus Ferreira

Furious editorial staffers at eNCA (DStv 403) are once again accusing the eMedia Investments-run TV news channel of censorship and shocking bias in news coverage decisions after the South African channel failed to cover the press conference this past weekend of former president Jacob Zuma who is now behind bars.

In an internal memo to eNCA management, eNCA staffers claim that eNCA is once again practising censorship and is headlined "The ghost of censorship is back in the eNCA Newsroom! We reject censorship!".

eNCA staffers are demanding an open and transparent investigation into why Jacob Zuma's press conference was allegedly censored at eNCA, and are also demanding the appointment of an independent body to look into eNCA staffers' concerns about editorial newsroom interference - similar to what was done at the South African public broadcaster's SABC News division.

eNCA staffers say that they are once again compelled to "collectively" raise their voices "as loudly, as forcefully and as resoundingly as we can muster, in rejection of censorship in the eNCA newsroom."

"Our observation and experience is that this tendency has been creeping in gradually, and arguably quite insidiously, over a period of time; an incident here, an incident there, an inexplicable decision here, an inexplicable decision there."

"But nothing could have prepared us for the zero to a 100 full-force nature in which our concerns were to be dramatised and confirmed 'beyond a reasonable doubt' in the inexplicable, untenable and objectionable decision to censor the coverage of former president Jacob Zuma's speech to his supporters in Nkandla on Sunday."

"There is clearly a chain of command that determines which voices are to be snuffed out of the airwaves at eNCA"

"And the chain of command, we submit, does not start even in the most senior position in our newsroom, albeit implementation of unethical instructions arguably gains momentum at this level of newsroom management."

"We submit that it is our reasonable suspicion that the chain of command involves players who ordinarily should be concerned with the running of the eMedia business, including eNCA, but not taking editorial decisions."

"It is ironic that some of the decisions taken end up costing the channel significantly in viewership numbers, which invariably translates to pressure on desk, field, studio and on-air teams to account for plummeting numbers."

eNCA's editorial staffers say that "As we speak, we as a channel are still dealing with the albatross of the fateful 2019 decision to withdraw our crews from the EFF congress that December."

"To this day, we are unable to help at least that segment of the population that depends on us to receive or impart information and ideas around the third biggest political party in our country."

"To this day, we're viewed with a great deal of suspicion and our bona fides are questioned because of an impulsive, petulant, ideologically and fictionally-loaded decision taken by an individual who was in charge of our newsroom at the time."

eNCA staffers demand that eNCA "investigates the circumstances that led to the censoring of former president Jacob Zuma's address to his supporters on Sunday 4 July 2021, a news event that undoubtedly in the public interest and which we had the full capacity to cover."

Staffers want eNCA to appoint "an independent body to investigate staff concerns about editorial interference from the board, eNCA establishes a system whereby major editorial instructions must be communicated in writing only, if they are to be of any force or effect [and that] eNCA provides clear editorial direction on the channel's stance on Jacob Zuma coverage, to which we will respond to."

"We consider these matters to be of extreme urgency, as each passing hour seems to sink us to new depths. We therefore call on management to consider these matters raised herein, and give a comprehensive response," the internal memo states.

"The Nkandla field team is demotivated and the output and input teams are outraged given that they try their best to conquer audience demands."

eNCA didn't immediately respond to a media enquiry seeking comment on the new allegations of censorship at the TV news channel on Friday but will be added here if received.

eNCA has been battered by a constant exit of on-screen and behind-the-scenes talent over the past three years with multiple staffers exiting to the SABC and growing rival Newzroom Africa (DStv 405), with Thembekile Mrototo who became the latest to leave former eNCA-er now appearing on Newzroom Afrika in a weekend slot since July.

In October 2019 TVwithThinus reported that Kanthan Pillay, the founder and leader of the Capitalist Party of South Africa (ZACP), known as the "Purple Cows" was appointed in a senior news management position at the eMedia TV channel but neither eNCA nor editor-in-chief Jeremy Maggs at the time responded to media enquiries as to why Kanthan Pillay was appointed in this position.

eNCA then fired Kanthan Pillay as eNCA's director of news following shocking allegations of racism and newsroom censorship after a scandal plunged the eMedia Investments' TV news channel in a massive credibility and reputation crisis.

Kanthan Pillay was fired after growing shock and public outrage after he suspended an eNCA and called Samkele Maseko and others leaving eNCA "rats" who are going to a "sinking ship" meaning the SABC.

In December 2019, after the firing of Kantan Pillay and with Jeremy Maggs who said that he regretted hiring Kanthan Pillay, the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) welcomed the decision and said that it's calling for an investigation into how a politician was appointed to a senior position in a newsroom. Nothing happened.

ALSO READ: TV REVIEW. In their Zuma Arrest Watch coverage SABC News won the night as eNCA devolved into opinion-tainment and Newzroom Afrika faded; eNCA reporter Siphamandla Goge the most valuable player.

TV REVIEW. In their Zuma Arrest Watch coverage SABC News won the night as eNCA devolved into opinion-tainment and Newzroom Afrika faded; eNCA reporter Siphamandla Goge the most valuable player.

by Thinus Ferreira

In Wednesday night's three-horse race of South African TV news channels and their respective rolling coverage of the impending arrest of Jacob Zuma, SABC News (DStv 404) ended as the overall winner, followed by an opinion-slanted eNCA (DStv 403) that also did bad "reporting" based on unconfirmed sources, while Newzroom Afrika (DStv 405) seemed to run out of stream after a few hours.

eNCA reporter Siphamandla Goge was Wednesday night's most valuable player during Zuma Arrest Watch as the country tuned in to watch the impending arrest and jailing of former president Jacob Zuma.

At 21:00 on Wednesday night as the various South African TV news channels had reporters stationed outside Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal and at Westville prison, Newzroom Afrika was actually in the lead with the best coverage and live crossings, followed by SABC News and with eNCA in third place that was running a TV talk show. 

Over the course of the following three hours, both SABC News (DStv 404) and eNCA each improved their coverage.

SABC News improved from second position to first, eNCA (DStv 403) improved from third position to second, and Newzroom Africa (DStv 405) that seemed to get a bit lost in terms of editorial direction, fell from first to third place in its coverage.

The first big question on Wednesday night was which of the three TV news channels might stay with original and live rolling coverage and whether eNCA, SABC News and Newzroom Afrika might switch to repeats and rebroadcasts from around 22:00 and 23:00 on Wednesday night.

Luckily, all have seemingly learnt the lesson from previous late-night no-shows when it came to Jacob Zuma news, fires and other big South African news events that they had previously ignored and they all stayed with live anchoring and on-location reporting on Wednesday until past midnight.

SABC News reporters really stood out in their night-time, on-location, bright yellow and very professional looking reporter jackets.

SABC News also did the most live crossings, to the most reporters, with the widest range of commentators.

SABC News anchor Peter Ndoro was calm and collected and borderline "boring" and semi-detached throughout - an excellent anchor for the unfolding hurry-up-and-wait situation as he brought a sober, very matter-of-fact, fact-based approach to the SABC's conveying of the news.

The SABC News coverage style was objective, and Peter Ndoro and SABC News reporters were actually very careful in their language use - carefully denoting when they didn't know, noting precisely what little at times they did know, and with very little personal speculation and opinion.

eNCA was initially behind in Wednesday's "main match pre-show build-up", running a JJ Tabane studio-based talk show from Hyde Park while SABC News and Newzroom Afrika were giving on-the-ground reports at the same time.

From 21:30 onwards, eNCA improved with Shahan Ramkissoon in the NewsNight anchor chair, but the channel also damaged credibility and coverage with opinion-based injections and some bad "journalism" that detracted from eNCA delivering a fact-based, history-making night TV special that could proudly live in the video vault.

Shahan Ramkissoon seemed giddy at times and over-emoted a tad too much, conveying to viewers how incredible the night's constantly unfolding events were. It's fine to be excited but do you really want to be on a plane where you know that the pilot is actually hand-claspingly excited as well?

eNCA did damagingly bad "reporting", telling viewers in unsubstantiated claims that South Africa's Constitutional Court was considering a letter from Jacob Zuma, with eNCA citing "sources" and saying "we're hearing" and it's "unconfirmed". Why on Earth was eNCA then even verbalising this unconfirmed rumour-mongering on-air?

eNCA reporter Siphamandla Goge shined as the night's best reporter. He asked the most questions, led the pack of TV reporters camping out at Nkandla and excelled in drawing out new information from interviews and translating to viewers what protestors were doing and saying, as well as alertingeNCA when a Jacob Zuma convoy suddenly swerved out the gate and left for jail.

While it was a schadenfreude-filled, fun and frivolous watch, Shahan Ramkissoon who stayed live on eNCA after midnight - pitting JJ Tabane and the ever-caustic Mzwanele Manyi against each other in a to-and-fro shouting match - eNCA's Real House husbands of Mzansi trash-talking edition was ultimately empty news calorie newstainment.

Similar to Silindelo Masikane's tabloid-trash interview with Norma Mngoma on eNCA in December 2020, the on-air boxing match between JJ Tabane and Mzwanele Manyi didn't yield any actual news beyond more bloviating opinion and he-said, he-said rhetoric and did a disservice to eNCA.

While the copying of the low-brow opinion-based, infotainment style of commercial American TV news channels like FOX News and MSNBC do bring viewers short-term, it also damages the credibility of a channel like eNCA when it comes to fact-based news reporting over the longer run.

It was fun to watch Shahan Ramkissoon telling Mzwanele Manyi with a tinge of sarcasm to "also learn" from international spokespeople and to keep his answers short, but behaviour like this signals to guests and viewers that eNCA is unable to keep things professional and not personal.

The TV news channel very well knows who Mzwanele Manyi is and how he behaves - yet deliberately chose to invite him on and give him a massive amount of air-time on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. 

At the end, Mzwanele Manyi remains a guest - an invited guest - and should be treated with respect even if he decides to be rude and arrogant.

On Newzroom Afrika, Thabo Mdluli anchored Wednesday night's coverage. Nothing was really wrong or bad but there wasn't anything unique about its news offering.

Although Newzroom Afrika didn't veer into the editorialising and opinion-infused infotainment of eNCA, it also didn't have the breadth of SABC News' reporting.

Newzroom Afrika seemed to run out of stream and got pipped to the post by SABC News and eNCA. A few times reporters looked a little bit frazzled and dazed. Perhaps SABC News and eNCA were as well but maybe hid it a bit better.

Luckily, Nkandla seemingly only had one entrance/exit and reporters and camera crew were waiting at the right place. Channels also dispatched reporters to prisons like Westville and eNCA arrived just in time at Estcourt Correction Centre.

A lot could have gone wrong in Wednesday night's coverage but luckily didn't. 

The three TV news channels could have captured more and could possibly have planned better with more and better quality commentators and analysts pre-booked and on-hand for the late hours but it's commendable that pay-TV viewers at least got what SABC News, eNCA and Newzroom Afrika provided.

Kudos that SABC News, eNCA and Newzroom Afrika remained live on Wednesday night. 

Bar eNCA's atrocious ConCourt rumours that isn't journalism, the three channels and their collective Zuma Arrest Watch coverage could have been better but for late-night coverage - that local channels are not really used to doing - was good enough.

SABC News reporter Samkele Maseko slapped, strangled in violent attack trying to cover Jacob Zuma protestors, threats to burn media vehicle.

by Thinus Ferreira

Journalists and TV reporters trying to cover the Jacob Zuma protestors at Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal were physically and verbally harassed including the SABC News (DStv 404) reporter Samkele Maseko who was interrupted during his live reporting, while threats were made a media vehicle would be set alight.

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) said in a statement on Sunday that it is "deeply worried and equally outraged by the brazen physical and verbal abuse of journalists by supporters of former president Jacob Zuma outside his Nkandla home".

SANEF chairperson, Sbu Ngalwa on Sunday witnessed the violent attack and had to step in to rescue Maseko.

Hebanna! reporters go through the most to get us the story. @SABCNews appreciation post #ZumaJudgement #amabutho #bekelebeke #ZumaConCourtRuling pic.twitter.com/Xk9ZHPffU9

— Lerato (@LeratoMabs) July 3, 2021

"I pulled him out as he was being attacked, strangled and slapped by one of the supporters," said Sbu Ngalwa in the statement. Samekele Maseko was one of the journalists being targeted by Jacob Zuma supporters. 

Video footage from Saturday shows a supporter pushing him away and asking him to leave Nkandla.

Since Friday, journalists have come under severe attacks while waiting for law enforcement agencies to execute a Constitutional Court ruling. 

Jacob Zuma was given until the end of Sunday to hand himself to the police and begin serving his 15-month sentence. The Court ruling found him guilty of contempt of court. Thousands of supporters and former ANC leaders have flocked to Nkandla to support Zuma.

Apart from supporters swearing and hurling verbal taunts at journalists, Edward Zuma, Zuma's eldest son, also threatened to burn one of the media vehicles parked outside his father’s house.

"We remind all supporters and the Jacob Zuma family and other former ANC leaders who also pitched up to support the former president that journalists have a right to cover the events. They were not trespassing, nor did they breach any privacy or court regulations," says SANEF.

Phathiswa Magopeni, the head of SABC News, says "We are extremely concerned about the ongoing bullying, intimidation and harassment of our journalists".

"Such conduct erodes media freedom, undermines the public's right to know, and has no place in our democracy. We urge the public to allow journalists a safe space to practice their craft without hindrance and use designated complaints agencies to raise any concerns of unfair coverage."

SANEF says that it is "also concerned that these kinds of attacks are a direct breach of the South African constitution that protects media freedom and access to information and by extension the right for journalists to do their work".

"The impunity in which the Jacob Zuma supporters have acted says a lot about the climate that has been enabled for such attacks to happen without consequence. We urge Zuma, and senior leaders supporting him, to curtail and condemn such attacks by calling on his family and supporters to cease and desist from such actions."

"We also wish to express our concern over the deafening silence from the country’s national and provincial assemblies, including law enforcement in the region. Such silence inadvertently condones the continuation of bullying and intimidation of journalists."

"We note that Zuma’s supporters were not wearing masks and therefore call on journalists to be cautious of all Covid-19 regulations bearing in mind the deadly new Delta strain."

BarLeader filming new 13-episode reality show set for 2020 and revolving around the Zumas as South Africa's former first family; series includes scenes at Nkandla homestead.

A mysterious new 13-episode reality series involving some of the Zuma family and partly filmed at the Nkandla presidential homestead is coming to screens in 2020 but the producers remain tight-lipped about the exact nature of the show or where viewers will get to see it.

The as-yet-untitled reality project is produced by BarLeader and executive producer Legend Manqele who grew up in the Sinathingi village in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, and who is responsible for reality shows like Being Bonang and Living the Dream with Somizi.

M-Net told TVwithThinus that the Zuma reality show project wasn't commissioned for one of their channels meaning that it won't be on VUZU, 1Magic or one of the Mzansi Magic channels, and SiyayaTV's Moja Love also said that the series isn't part of their new batch of locally commissioned shows.

A rep for MultiChoice's video streaming service, Showmax, also said it's unlikely to be a show for this platform.

On social media Legend Manqele teased the BarLeader project on Friday last week, using the caption "Meet the Zumas", and showing several photos of camera crews at work at Nkandla and hovering around Nonkanyiso Conco, who shares a son with former president Jacob Zuma.

Legend Manqele told TVwithThinus on Tuesday when reached by phone that he can't reveal what channel the show is for or more about it besides what he teased on Twitter. He confirmed that it will be a 13-episode reality series, not a documentary, and will be for 2020.

Asked whether it will be for South African viewers he said that he couldn't comment.

In November 2013 the free-to-air commercial broadcaster e.tv was hot under the collar and said it would take legal action although it never did, when a satirical article and marked as such, appeared on a website that said e.tv would be filming a new reality show entitled Zuma's Housewives.

The satirical article at the time had fun with the make-believe story detailing how the housewives reality show set against the backdrop of president Jacob Zuma's Nkandla would "profile the pleasure and pressures which four women encounter as wives of a South African president".

Former president Jacob Zuma forced Bosasa to pay over R1.1 million of Hlaudi Motsoeneng's legal fees after he was fired by the SABC - reports.

An auditor says that South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma through Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson forced the payment of over R1.1 million of Hlaudi Motsoeneng's legal fees after the controversial and famously matriclesss former SABC COO was fired by the South African public broadcaster in June 2017.

The Sunday Times reports that the alleged corruption-riddled Bosasa has been "used as an ATM for politicians and those who are politically connected".

After the SABC and Hlaudi Motsoeneng racked up over R22 million in legal fees, Jacob Zuma reportedly dispatched his acolyte and former SAA board chairperson Dudu Myeni to force Bosasa through its CEO Gavin Watson to get Bosasa to pay and contribute to Hlaudi Motsoeneng's legal fees.

This comes from a sworn affidavit by Petrus Venter, an auditor employed by a company contracted by Bosasa.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng's massive legal bills come after he went to the CCMA and the High Court in Johannesburg to fight against his SABC firing in a case that is continuing with legal bills that keep mounting in 15 different cases.

Bosasa was asked for comment about the legal fees payment but declined comment.

The City Press newspaper on Sunday reported on the same story reported on the same story.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s highest legal bill was R5.3 million, accrued during a fight with the Democratic Alliace (DA) political party over the former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s 2014 report that found that he had lied about having a matric certificate, as well as finding corruption, mismanagement and illegal salary hikes orchestrated by Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

The SABC told the DA that it's unable to pay the R1.7 million in legal fee costs that the SABC is supposed to pay the party under the court order.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng told The Sunday Times that "I have known Zuma for many years, since my days as a reporter for the SABC, and our relationship has nothing to do with politics. If I support my president whenever he goes to court as a matter of principle, then why can't he support me?"

M-Net's weekly investigative magazine show, Carte Blanche, this Sunday at 7pm looks at South African girls stripping on sex cams, the growing corruption case against Jacob Zuma, how the VAT hike will impact the poor and the government's Esidimeni scandal.

M-Net's weekly investigative magazine show, Carte Blanche, this Sunday at 19:00 on M-Net (DStv 101) will be looking at the South African government's scandalous Esidimeni tragedy and what the impact is going to be of the government's hike to 15% of VAT on poor households.

Meanwhile the fraud and corruption case is building against former president Jacob Zuma, and Carte Blanche also looks at how South African girls are stripping online as part of sex streaming shows.

Life After Esidimeni

The families of the Esidimeni tragedy have been awarded R1.2-million each as compensation for the lives lost in the tragedy. 

Retired deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke made damning observations in his arbitration award about the sheer lack of accountability for the lives of patients, saying senior officials had lied, played victim and violated the constitution. Carte Blanche asks: while responsibility has been apportioned, will it improve the state of mental health care services?  

Producer: Anna-Maria van Niekerk and Marzanne van den Berg

Presenter: Devi Sankaree Govender

VAT

Value Added Tax (VAT) will be increased to 15% from 1 April 2018. Some say it's a necessary step to keep the economy on track but others blame it squarely on State capture and corruption. 

The big question is: with the majority of South Africans living below the poverty line, how will the poor compensate from their already empty pockets?

Producer: Sophia Phirippides

Presenter: Nhlanhla Sehume

Researcher: Siniketiwe Hlanze

The Case against Zuma

After years of delays and obfuscation, it seems Jacob Zuma’s past is finally catching up with him. Armed with a docket of multiple counts of fraud and corruption, the National Prosecuting Authority believes it has a strong case against the former president.  But could Zuma still have a few smart legal cards to play?

Producer: Este de Klerk

Presenter: Devi Sankaree Govender

Cam Girls

It’s a lucrative business and many South African women are cashing in. Using their bodies, a webcam and an internet connection, cam girls are combining old methods of stripping with modern technology to make money. Carte Blanche explores the real world of camming.

Producer: Tarryn Crossman

Presenter: Claire Mawisa

SHOCKING REVELATIONS. Ex ANN7 editor Rajesh Sundaram reveals how ANN7 lied to MultiChoice, and how Jacob Zuma himself was involved: 'I realised that I had made a mistake - that I was setting up a monster station for the mafia in South Africa'.

If you never knew that ANN7 was trash when Naspers' MultiChoice launched it as a secret propaganda channel laced with bias in August 2013 for then-president Jacob Zuma with the help of the controversial and corrupt Gupta family, then you'll know it now after reading Rajesh Sundaram's insider-account, Identured: Behind the Scenes at Gupta TV.

Published by Jacana and available since Tuesday at R185 after plans for the book was initially dropped in June 2014, the delicious book is a deep dive into the ugly acrimony, law breaking, physical and verbal abuse, secret political influence, clandestine payments, worker discrimination, out-of-control egos and shocking circumstances and work conditions behind-the-scenes of the setting up of the disastrous ANN7.

All of this of course quickly, and eventually, proved highly destructive from a brand perspective for the Guptas, ANN7 itself, but also for MultiChoice and DStv.

Selective excepts from Identured: Behind the Scenes at Gupta TV published on Wednesday, media reports about it, and 2 interviews with Rajesh Randaram, added another chapter and more shocking, sordid and extremely lurid details about what allegedly went on behind-the-scenes at ANN7 and its Midrand-based headquarters, and the alleged volatile, abusive behaviour of owner Atul Gupta.

In a must-listen interview with Biznews, Rajesh Sundaram explained how ANN7 was rushed to air on DStv without proper time or testing, and how ANN7 executives blatantly lied to MultiChoice about ANN7 being ready to launch in 2013although it wasn't as far as its technical operations were concerned.

"We went to multiple meetings with MultiChoice. We were not prepared to go on-air technically, but we had to bluff our way through there."

He explained that "there was a lot of arm-twisting involved to get on DStv in the first place, that involved president Jacob Zuma himself".

He told Biznews that Indian staffers, brought to South Africa on tourist visas and who worked in the country illegally, had to live on the ANN7 Midrand construction site "in sub-human conditions".

"I realised that I had made a mistake - that I was setting up a monster station for the mafia in South Africa," said Rajesh Sundaram.

Rajesh Sundaram told Biznews about the physical and verbal abuse staffers allegedly suffered at the hands of the Guptas like Atul Gupta.

"There were staff that Atul Gupta would slap; and physically abuse us; scream verbal abuse at people. For instance say the playout system crashes, Atul Gupta would come into the production control room and start beating up the audio console person".

"Atul Gupta would come into the newsroom and just slap people. There was an audio engineer who was slapped. There were others who were abused. And many instances of him just screaming his lungs out in the gallery about things he never knew about".

Rajesh Sundaram told HuffPost SA in a second interview on Wednesday that "the intention to launch ANN7 was all wrong. The media is supposed to be a pillar in democracy. It was being abused. It was being misused. They just wanted a propaganda station".

He explained that Duduzane Zuma, Jacob Zuma's son sat in several meetings. "Duduzane was there and was the one who was dictating to us all what the editorial policy would be".

HuffPost SA on Wednesday also ran a print report about Identured: Behind the Scenes at Gupta TV and how Atul Gupta went beserk and screamed at Nazeem Howa when Nazeem Howa suggested that ANN7 hire Debora Patta.

"She's a white bitch! She is not a journalist, she is a sensationalist. She is a well-known face on TV here, but her aggression is reserved for the government and its ministers," Atul Gupta allegedly yelled.

As ANN7 struggled to get journalist and presenters to join, Atul Gupta told an underling "to get the modelling agency to send us sexy young models who will present our bulletins. We will not have to deal with these ugly old bitches anymore."

On ANN7's disastrous launch day that TVwithThinus detailed at the time - as well as the on-air horrific mistakes, Atul Gupta exploded at the Indian studio technicians and told them: "You bloody monkeys. F*cking get out of here, pack your bags and go back to India. You are all useless people."

Atul Gupta told executive, Karun Shawney: "Look down, you fool, how dare you look me in the eye when you talk to me. Don't you know I hate people who dare to look me in the eye? You bastards are f*cking my channel and my reputation."

Indian staff members were paid much less than the South African workers but the Indian staffers were fed staff meals while the South African workers got nothing and had to look on.

"It was extremely distressing to see Indian staff sit down for dinner after a long day's work while the South Africans were not invited to join."

Atul Gupta was allegedly racist towards South Africans, saying "The South Africans are a difficult lot. If you give them a lift back home they will see it as a right. These are leeches that want to suck the organisation dry".

On Wednesday News24 ran a report from the book about how Jacob Zuma himself chose the name "Africa News Network". Because the name was already taken, a "7" was added.

On Thursday in an interview with radio station 702, Rajesh Sundaram told Bongani Bingwa that "Atul Gupta had no sense of what broadcasting is about. There were a few instance where he'd go and hit people you know, right in the middle of a broadcast".

Rajesh Sundaram also explained why the Guptas were so adamant and anxious to get ANN7 onto MultiChoice's DStv.

"Jacob Zuma had given a guarantee that money from government advertising agencies would come in to ANN7 and that this advertising revenue would then be given back to him through his son Duduzane."

Jacob Zuma in yet another cabinet reshuffle dumps Ayanda Dlodlo and appoints Mmamaloko Kubayi as new minister of communications; wrote matric just a decade ago in 1997.

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."

OUTA calls on SABC to block further mega-million payouts to SABC's disgraced Hlaudi Motsoeneng after his looting: 'He doesn't deserve another cent'.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) is calling on the SABC's interim board to urgently act to prevent further mega-millions to be paid to the fired former SABC executive, the famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng, who plunged the beleaguered South African public broadcaster into bankruptcy and an existential crisis.

OUTA is pleading with the SABC's interim board to urgently block any payments to the disgraced former SABC chief operating officer as South African president Jacob Zuma keeps delaying his signing of an order to have the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) from starting a corruption probe into the maladministration at the SABC.

"OUTA is concerned that former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng will, now that he has been dismissed, attempt to claim millions in pension and other benefits," says OUTA in a letter to Khanyisile Kweyama, chairperson of the SABC interim board.

"We note reports that president Jacob Zuma is delaying the approval of the Special Investigating Unit investigation into the SABC, which may result in Hlaudi Motsoeneng receiving more undeserved payouts," says Dominique Msibi, OUTA portfolio director for social services.

"Hlaudi Motsoeneng does not deserve one cent more."

"OUTA believes that Hlaudi Motsoeneng caused substantial financial and reputational damage to the SABC and we support attempts to claim back illegitimate payments made to him."

"We believe those claims should include -  but are not limited to - the salary paid while he was on suspension and the illegitimate R11.4 million bonus he secured during the dubious MultiChoice deal."

"Any pension or other benefits due to Hlaudi Motsoeneng should be forfeited to the SABC to compensate for his looting".

"We believe there's already enough justifiable cause to block any payouts to Hlaudi Motsoeneng, since his employment appointment was irregular, was based on falsified information which he provided, there is already credible information available about the illegitimate deals from which he benefited and we understand that the SABC interim board's own investigations are continuing".

DAILY TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 22 February 2017.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read, and that you should too:

■ "The SABC's coverage of Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation 2017 address analysed.
Media show The Listening Post on Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) looks at how the SABC and the Guptas The New Age Breakfast Briefing on SABC2's Morning Live the day after the speech was covered.

For instance: Al Jazeera finds that Leanne Manas throws president Jacob Zuma softball questions - that is until the show switches away from SABC2 (viewers) and continues to only be broadcast on MultiChoice's DStv on the SABC News (DStv 404) channel catering to pay-TV audiences.

Now suddenly "Peter Ndoro asks much tougher questions" when a much smaller TV audience is watching.


■ Television graveyard.
Millions of old TV sets are dumped and abandoned in massive warehouses across America - and the hard manual labour involved to break down and destroy or recycle old TV sets.

■ Second season of Showtime's Billions getting "a big promotional push" as if it's a new show.
In South Africa on DStv, not so much.

■ Lovely.
Matt LeBlanc eats horse penis in the new upcoming season of Top Gear starting on 8 March at 20:00 on BBC Brit (DStv 120).


■ Alberton school furious over eNCA (DStv 403) story it slams as a false report.
Marais Viljoen High School (MVHS) considering taking eNCA and eNuus on kykNET (DStv 144) to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) after unsubstantiated, slanderous report and the apparent failure to ask the right people for comment.


■ Russia's president Vladimir Putin is obsessed with television.
Specifically in watching to see how different TV channels cover him.


■ Court papers reveal how Botswana Television (BTV) got rid of its head of news in an election year.
Koketso Joshua Ntopolelang wants his job as head of TV news and current affairs at Botswana's state broadcaster back; shows court how he was allegedly purged from BTV and moved to another government department because he could allegedly "not be trusted" during an election year in Botswana.


■ New Zealand TV is trashing up current affairs in prime time.
Strange and trashy chit-chat as actuality programming instead of news.

■ Sky News (DStv 402) anchor Dermot Murnaghan warns
that the TV news at 22:00 on British television can't survive due to falling viewership.

■ Cameroon viewers treated to TV fight.
After last week's Egypt on-set brouhaha, in Cameroon on Sunday novelist Calixthe Beyala created an "incident close to barbarism and savagery" in an on-set clash.

■ CNBC Africa (DStv 410) opens a new studio in Rwanda.
Who knew? Apparently the ABN Group running the business TV channel on MultiChoice's DStv platform opened a new studio in Rwanda's Kigali Convention Centre. Of course there wasn't even a basic press release or statement to the media.

■ Japan gives money to improve Malawi television.
Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) gets millions from Japan to improve its MBCTV broadcasting equipment in Blantyre.

■ Unnamed Indian TV anchor caught as a prostitute.
Allegedly used her good looks to become involved in prostitution at a guest house in Hyderabad; police reprimanded her for illegal activities and "advised her to pursue her anchoring career professionally".

■ A second golden age for TV news channels in America?
Viewership soars thanks to The Lorax Donald Trump.

■ The SABC has now implemented the Scisys' dira! and MusicMaster systems.
New production and playout systems used by 19 of the SABC's radio stations. Of course it's hopefully not being held together by sticky tape in the rundown SABC studios.

■ Script for final episode of The Vampire Diaries is so brutal ...
it made actor Paul Wesley cry.

'Toxic' president Jacob Zuma suddenly a no-show at CNBC Africa's 2016 World Economic Forum debate in Davos; creates awkward embarrassment.

A "toxic" president Jacob Zuma who became a no-show at CNBC Africa's (DStv 410) Davos debate at the 2016 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland left the ABN run business channel red-faced and scrambling behind-the-scenes to find a suitable replacement when another panelist threatened to pull out.

On Tuesday this week CNBC Africa told the media that president Jacob Zuma would be one of the panelists of a debate entitled "Africa's Next Challenge", moderated by CNBC Africa's Bronwyn Nielsen that will be broadcast live tomorrow (Thursday 21 January from 11:30).

CNBC Africa told the press that the panelists will include South African president Jacob Zuma, Hailemarain Desalegn (Ethoipia's prime minister), Akinwumi Adesina (African Development Bank president) and Hans Vestberg (Ericcson Sweden president and CEO).

CNBC Africa didn't send out any programming advisory or any publicity update of any changes saying that Jacob Zuma won't be part of the live debate.

Biznews is reporting that president Jacob Zuma withdrew late on Wednesday night, putting CNBC Africa in a flat spin after another panelist then threatened to withdrew as well.

The CNBC Africa event reportedly also had a large number of empty seats.

According to Alec Hogg's Biznews, when South Africa offered finance minister Pravin Gordhan as a replacement, Hailemarain Desalegn threatened to withdrew from the televised debate as well.

Although there's been nothing from CNBC Africa about president Jacob Zuma's absence after saying he would be a part of the debate, Rwanda's president Paul Kagame then appeared in the pace of president Jacob Zuma.

The local Graubunden Canton newspaper Tages Anzeiger on Tuesday published an critical article about president Jacob Zuma with a photo (pictured above) of him looking asleep in a chair saying "A toxic president".

The photo was not one taken at this year's 2016 World Economic Forum.

Very strange, given that CNBC Africa still on Tuesday said president Jacob Zuma would take part in the CNBC Africa WEF debate, is that the presidency today (Thursday) said it told CNBC Africa last week that Jacob Zuma wouldn't be attending CNBC Africa's debate.

"The presidency advance team in Davos also continuously informed the organisers that the president would not participate," said the president's office in a statement.

The presidency also trashed Biznews for the reporting saying in the statement that "we reject the spreading of lies by Alec Hogg, who seems determined to mislead the public about this matter".

Fascinatingly, Reuters reports that when Reuters asked spokesperson Bongani Majola why president Jacob Zuma was a no-show and suddenly not at the CNBC Africa WEF debate, Bongani Majola reacted by saying: "Are you sure about that?"

SABC's Hlaudi Motsoeneng slams South African journalism over bad stories and 'propaganda'; says 'sometimes you need a brain'.

At the launch event of the expansion of the SABC News channel's footprint into the rest of Africa the SABC's chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng has again took to the podium to slam South African journalism and journalists, threatened that dissenting and disloyal SABC workers will be rooted out, saying that the SABC is doing very well and that the SABC is committed to "positive stories".

As guests drank champagne while the wine flowed at the gold-plated launch event, the controversial Hlaudi Motsoeneng once again berated, bemoaned South African journalists and he said are misleading the country, and said the SABC isn't going to report "propaganda about negative stories".

The SABC was celebrating the expansion of the footprint of the public broadcaster's 24-hour TV news channel SABC News (DStv 404) into the rest of Africa.

SABc News was launched in August 2013 on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform as part of a controversial two channel deal and the SABC's second try at a 24-hour news channel since its first version, SABC News International, folded in March 2010 after three years and a loss of millions of rands.

The SABC's launch event held at Midrand in Johannesburg where the SABC choir sang, was attended by president Jacob Zuma, who was flanked at table 1 by minister of communications, Faith Muthambi and Hlaudi Motsoeneng - all three of whom kept leaning in and chatting excitedly with each other all through the hour and a half long long event.

Other guests spotted included president of the Pan African parliament, Bethel Amadi; acting SABC board chairperson, Prof Mbulaheni Maghuve; the SABC's head of news Jimi Matthews; Veronah Duwarkah, the SABC's group executive in charge of television; Sophie Mokoena, SABC News' foreign news editor, and the few SABC board members who are left following the communication minister's purge of the board earlier this year.

Two weeks after a bizarre speech at the launch of the SABC's rerun channel SABC Encore (DStv 156) on DStv, Hlaudi Motsoeneng once again ran to the podium to deliver another eyebrow-raising speech.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng is currently embroiled in a lengthy court battle after the high court already twice ordered that he be suspended. He is appealing the judgment again.

"SABC, we are different from other media house," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng. "When we report about the news, we are not apologetic about positive stories."

Then, as he did last year, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, again slammed South African journalism with generalisations.

"Our own journalists, they deal with propaganda. When you go abroad, most journalists they don't write bad about their country. But when you come to South Africa, and some of the African countries, our own journalists talk very bad about their own country," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

"They don't educate and inform people. If you read, they are always misleading."

"Sometimes you need brain. It's good to have all those qualifications, but you need brain to think. If you analyse when people write - and those people are having all these diplomas and degrees - I'm going to give you example."

"One of the papers said SABC has hide R500 million. If you analyse that what they mean is the CFO of the SABC has hide R5 million [sic], but if you check the books of the SABC, the reality is when we write off all those policies that are not relevant to the business, technically, the auditor-general they will pitch that equals to R500 million."

"But when people talk it seems as if SABC has really hide money. But these are people who are very educated. I wonder, whether they think before they do, whatever they do. That is misleading the country".

"I still believe we need to report good stories; tell South African stories," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng. "SABC is doing very well, financially. We are stable. People who are just talking about SABC collapsing; they are going to collapse themselves. Not SABC."

"Even within the organisation, some of them are not loyal. But we are going to make sure that we deal with people who are not loyal," warned Hlaudi Motsoeneng of SABC workers who he said is sabotaging the public broadcaster. "We are not going to be apologetic."

"In short, SABC we are going to reflect Africa as Africa. We are not going to come with propaganda about negative stories, people killing each other as if we are killing each other."

"If there's no water in Soweto, if you are a good journalist, you will go to Orlando. There's no water in Orlando. But in Diepkloof, there's water. That is what we call balanced story," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

President Jacob Zuma said "we are not saying that the SABC News, channel 404, should ignore problems when they arise in the continent."

"What we are saying is that the public broadcaster should balance whatever stories of mayhem, with stories that also show that while there is disaster in one small corner of the continent, the majority there live a normal life."

"It should be stories that tell the full African story, and not the unbalanced, negative scripts that have become the order of the day for years," said president Zuma.

Defiant and embattled SABC chairperson Ellen Zandile Tshabalala vehemently denies bedding Jacob Zuma and being the president's 'nyatsi'.

Sordid news and scandal keeps swirling around the beleaguered SABC's chairperson Ellen Zandile Tshabalala and its famously matricless and supposed-to-be-suspended TV tsar Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

Ellen Zandile Tshabalala is now vehemently denying long-running industry gossip which finally made it into print in Sunday's Sunday Sun tabloid: that the recalcitrant chairperson who've been caught out lying about fake tertiary qualifications that she doesn't have, had been bedding president Jacob Zuma as a sex-on-the-side lover.

No other South African broadcaster's top brass is as constantly crass tabloid fodder as the people supposed to run the SABC, indicative of the way the country's TV and media industry perceives the wayward and scandalously out of control executives "running" the embattled public broadcaster.

On Sunday the Sunday Sun splashed sensational "revelations" which had been small talk in the TV biz for months, citing unnamed sources calling Ellen Zandile Tshabalala president Jacob Zuma's "nyatsi (or mistress) and his "pet by night".

The Sunday Sun's unnamed sources claimed that the affair between Ellen Zandile Tshabalala and president Jacob Zuma who already has several wives is "a well-known secret".

In a statement Ellen Zandile Tshabalala released on Monday evening through the SABC's PR office, calling the article "a violent attack" on her, saying that "it is also an onslaught on the public broadcaster that I chair".

"I want to put it categorically that this has no basis in fact, and it is meant to hurt, undermine me, the SABC, as well as the office of the presidency".

Ellen Zandile Tshabalala who has close ties with president Jacob Zuma blasts print media in her statement, saying the Sunday Sun story "characterises how the print media will stoop to such low levels to misinform and misrepresent facts".

However, Ellen Zandile Tshabalala in her statement says nothing about how the SABC misinform and misrepresent facts, blatantly censors the news and decided to not broadcast live last week's controversial Nkandla debate in parliament while other TV channels like eNCA (DStv 403) and ANN7 (DStv 405) did.

Ellen Zandile Tshabalala also says nothing about misinforming and misrepresenting herself and her bogus qualifications before parliament's portfolio committee on communications at the end of last year when she applied to be chairperson of the SABC with made up UNISA qualifications which the university says she doesn't have for courses the institution says she never completed.

In her statement Ellen Zandile Tshabalala says "it is clear that this has become a personal attack on me, and that there is another agenda that seeks to derail me from executing my duties as chairperson of the SABC".

BREAKING. SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng gets paid more than president Jacob Zuma: a massive R2.8 million in 2013.

The SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng, the South African public broadcaster's controversial chief operating officer (COO), is getting paid more than South Africa's president Jacob Zuma - a massive R2.8 million in 2013, it was revealed in parliament.

In response to a question by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in parliament, it was revealed that Hlaudi Motsoeneng got paid R2.8 million which is more than the country's president.

The SABC has not acted by suspending or firing Hlaudi Motsoeneng following a damning report released in February by the Public Protector's office which stated that Hlaudi Motsoeneng "should never have been appointed at the SABC".

According to the Public Protector's report Hlaudi Motsoeneng is implicated in serious breaches of governance, mismanagement and maladministration at the beleaguered public broadcaster.

In a recorded interview with the Public Protector Hlaudi Motsoeneng admitted that he lied about about having a matric and that he made up symbols for a certificate he knew he couldn't produce.

The Public Protector also found that Hlaudi Motsoeneng was involved in the dismissal of all of the people who testified against him in a disciplinary hearing; "purged" other SABC senior staff which cost the SABC millions of rands in payouts, and increased the salaries of other SABC staff which ballooned the SABC's salary bill by R29 million.

Likewise questions are swirling around the SABC chairperson, Ellen Zandile Tshabalala, after the tertiary institutions she claims to have received tertiary qualifications from, said they have no record of her completing such qualifications.

In parliament it has now been revealed that Hlaudi Motsoeneng got a salary of R2.8 million in 2013 - more than president Jacob Zuma's R2,622,561.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng's salary skyrocketed - he is now paid R2.5 million more per year than what he was in 2010 - an eight fold increase in four years while the public broadcaster remains mired in drama.

This year the SABC paid R65 million in bonuses to staff.

As acting COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng personally promised the cast of Generations three year contracts in June 2013 and better pay rates which they haven't received more than a year later.

That plunged the SABC into crisis two weeks ago when the principal actors on the SABC's biggest TV show in terms of viewership and revenue staged a united walk-out. The SABC1 soap which earns the SABC R220 000 per 30 second ad is set to run out of recorded episodes by the end of this month.

Meanwhile the SABC's audience share has declined from 57% in 2012 to 53% in 2013, but the SABC wants to increase TV licence fees.

The SABC will also once again get a qualified audit this year for the SABC's financial results from the Auditor General (AG). It will be the 4th qualified audit for the SABC in a row, over four years. What a healthy, clean company gets is an unqualified audit - there is nothing to "qualify" and single out as problematic.

Last year the AG slapped the SABC's 2012/2013 financial report with a "disclaimer" as well - the worst possible grading and the most adverse finding possible, indicating that the finances and financial controls are in such disarray to the point that it cannot form an opinion on the SABC's financial statement.

Profile documentary on president Jacob Zuma, Comrade President: The Man from Nkandla, on e.tv on Sunday 20 July at 15:00.

e.tv will broadast a new profile documentary about South Africa's president Jacob Zuma on Sunday 20 July at 15:00 entitled Comrade President: The Man from Nkandla.

The documentary (repeated on Wednesday 23 July at 13:30 on e.tv) will look at Jacob Zuma's journey from Nkandla where he was a Zulu herd boy with no formal education, to becoming president of the country.

From his days as part of the African National Congress (ANC) and being part of the liberation movement, to becoming the party leader of the political party and his political career through power, controversy, charges of corruption and scandal, his polygamy and infidelities, Comrade President: The Man from Nkandla looks at his life and times.

The documentary looks at Jacob Zuma's political survival skills, his sophisticated legal team, long-standing connections with intelligence networks, and everything - and everyone - that helped him to become president and to remain president and the leader of the ANC majority party in South Africa.

BREAKING. ANN7, eNCA and SABC News all fake claim Jacob Zuma exclusive interviews - which means all 3 TV news channels are lying.

ANN7 (DStv 405), eNCA (DStv 403) and SABC News (DStv 404) all had the shocking audacity to individually fake claim their own "exclusive interview" with South African president Jacob Zuma.

The only problem is of course that Jacob Zuma appeared on ANN7, eNCA and SABC News as part of his PR press blitz.

"Exclusive" means to the exclusion of everything and everyone else - which means neither ANN7, eNCA or SABC News has a Jacob Zuma exclusive.

If a news channel claims a Jacob Zuma exclusive interview, it means Jacob Zuma is not appearing on TV news on any other channel in terms of giving an interview - and that you have an agreement or understanding that your interview subject is not sitting for multiple interviews on the same day, round robin style with different news outlets.

Jacob Zuma took turns to speak to and to give interviews to ANN7's Hajra Omarjee, to eNCA's Dan Moyane, and to SABC News' Vuyo Mvuko.

It means that ANN7, eNCA and SABC News as South African 24-hours TV news channels are all lying to their viewers, come across as opportunistic, and are getting shown up for making a false "exclusive" claim which is unintentionally hilarious.

BREAKING. The banned booing of president Jacob Zuma the SABC censored at Madiba's memorial service; call for 'urgent investigation'.

On Tuesday the SABC ordered the shocking censoring of live TV coverage of an event of national importance, placed a ban on broadcasting the booing of president Jacob Zuma, as news bosses also ordered and maintained a effective news blackout on reporting that Jacob Zuma was boo-ed at Nelson Mandela's memorial service.

While print media, electronic media and other TV news channels lead with coverage of Jacob Zuma being boo-ed by the crowds at Nelson Mandela's memorial service on Tuesday, the SABC scrambled to keep the scenes off television, while the SABC's primetime news bulletins, as well as SABC News - the public broadcaster's 24-hour TV news channel - didn't give it any coverage in reportage.

The shocking censorship follows after the SABC's Morning Live anchor Leanne Manas, covering the memorial service from the FNB Stadium as one of several SABC reporters at the stadium, earlier on Tuesday proudly proclaimed that "we have cameras everywhere; all the angles, to bring you this event".

"What was striking about the SABC's coverage of the Nelson Mandela memorial service was the way in which it was censored with the omission of the booing of Jacob Zuma," says an observer.

The sudden ongoing censorship from the SABC could be the explanation for the bad sound, odd video, strange video angles and bad sound and video quality from the SABC pool cameras which other TV news channels and international broadcasters were forced to use and instantly led to complaints regarding quality such as CNN International (DSTV 401) apologising to viewers for the weird and bad video and sound as the SABC tried to omit certain things from being seen and heard.

While TV news channels like CNN International, Sky News and eNCA immediately picked up on the story of Jacob Zuma being boo-ed - as well as print publications which had stories online as well as analysis pieces from the afternoon - the SABC had no news reporting on it online until much later in the evening and only as a side-reference in another story regarding Desmond Tutu.

There was no coverage of the booing incidents on SABC News and the crowds making the rolling of hands as the soccer substitute sign for "time for a new player", and nothing in primetime bulletins on the SABC - although it was the lead story on Tuesday evening on eNews Prime Time and eNCA.

"By 14:58 is was the main story on the eNCA website with a clip of the booing. The first mention of it on the SABC News website was four hours later at 19:08 and then it is mentioned only peripherally and in condemnation in a story about Desmond Tutu's rebuke of the crowd," says an independent observer.

It is the second booing incident of Jacob Zuma's government censored and not shown by SABC News, following the incident in 2005 when the deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at the time was boo-ed although an SABC camera was present and captured the event.

Insider sources at the SABC tell  TV with Thinus the booing was unexpected and "the first reaction was to somehow veer away from it and not give it attention to maintain the decorum of the memorial service".

"It wasn't deliberate until everyone realised the crowds are doing it deliberately and everytime he [Jacob Zuma] comes up [on the giant screens in the stadium]. The screens were turned off inside [the stadium] to minimise the jeering but that wasn't the SABC."

"The decree was not to show or do anything that would detract from the event. That was broadly the understanding but everyone knew it meant in effect to not show or say or do anything to embarrass the ruling party and especially not the leadership of the current ruling party, meaning him [Jacob Zuma]," said another source.

According to sources Nyana Molete, the SABC's national TV news editor ordered the control room to "cut away" from booing coverage. Later during the day, according to SABC news staff, Jimi Matthews, the SABC's head of news ordered the booing news be downplayed and not to be mentioned in the primetime news output.

SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago says "the millions of South Africans and people all over the world including the media expected us to show the memorial service of Madiba as it is, and the SABC heeded to this call and showed the 'booing' or the said incident as we carried it as a live broadcast."

"It is the prerogative of the SABC to decide to use its discretion in line with its editorial codes and what it deems as the top story of the day. The memorial of Madiba and how his life was celebrated with various people around the world sharing their moments and experiences with Madiba remains important to the world and not the incident."

Kaizer Kganyago says "the international media organisations that had access to SABC material complimented the quality of the coverage with some describing it as exciting, colourful and excellent."

The SABC didn't specifically answer questions TV with Thinus made regarding SABC editorial policy, what parts of policy the SABC used to direct live and news coverage, and whether and who ordered the booing censorship and footage ban.

Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) viewed the primetime bulletins on Tuesday on SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 and confirms that no mention of the booing incident was made in any of the bulletins.

"If we consider the stature of the speaker, the president of South Africa, and the importance of his speech, there can be little doubt that the story was newsworthy," says MMA, saying the SABC's decisions to censor and ban the booing coverage "constitutes a clear violation of the SABC's editorial code".

"The code of conduct for broadcasters also requires the SABC to report news truthfully, accurately and objectively." The MMA says the SABC's cenorship "feeds allegations of political interference at our public broadcaster and undermine its credibility."

"The MMA calls on the SABC editor-in-chief, the group CEO Lulama Mokhobo, to carry out an urgent investigation and to brief the public on its terms, progress and outcomes, and we call on SABC News management to ensure it not only adheres to its editorial policies but practices the highest standards of ethical professional journalism."