The South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) notes with concern the announcement made by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Board member Mathatha Tsedu about the need for drastic measures to deal with the SABC’s dire financial situation. Appearing before Parliament’s Communications Committee Tsedu confirmed that by February the SABC will not be able to pay full salaries and that by March its “our day zero if nothing happens”.
The SABC has a critical public service mandate to fulfill in terms of ensuring access to education, information and entertainment, in all our official languages and across all regions and provinces. Further, the public service broadcaster has the central information and education role to play in elections. In 2019 South Africans will be going to the polls in one of the most hotly contested and important elections post-apartheid - we can not afford to allow the SABC to fail.
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