SABC to release report into editorial interference

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) will on Monday release its much anticipated report into editorial interference.

The commission, chaired by Press Council executive director Joe Thloloe, was tasked to look into political and editorial interference at the troubled state broadcaster. Thloloe will be presenting the report at the broadcaster’s headquarters in Auckland Park, Johannesburg.

The commission was also investigating the veracity of interference in the newsroom and probing “personal favours” in the workplace. Among those who had made submissions to the commission was Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, who had claimed that his party had been “marginalised as a new player and opposition political party, particularly before and during the general elections of 2014”, News24 previously reported.

Ndlozi claimed that, when other media platforms invited the party during its launch, Morning Live had refused.

While the editorial interference inquiry ran, another was also probing sexual harassment in the workplace. Acting group CEO Nomsa Philiso had said the inquiries followed recommendations by the SABC ad hoc committee that editorial interference and unlawful conduct be dealt with.

The sexual harassment inquiry found that the state broadcaster did not take sexual sexual harassment seriously and needed to develop a culture that embraced the enhancement of human rights and gender rights. It also found that the broadcaster was oblivious to infringements of its sexual harassment policies.

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