UDM holds ‘fruitful’ meeting with eNCA management over mask furore

The UDM on Wednesday met with eNCA management after public outrage involving its reporter Lindsay Dentlinger’s alleged racial conduct in applying Covid-19 protocols when interviewing black and white politicians.

UDM deputy president Nqabayomzi Kwankwa said the meeting was requested by eNCA managing editor John Baily and the channel’s managing director, Norman Munzhelele. The meeting took place at the party’s parliamentary offices.

Taking to Twitter, UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said the meeting was fruitful and they discussed the mask incident and transformation in the media industry.

He said eNCA committed to releasing a statement on their engagement on Thursday.

“Just finished our fruitful meeting with the eNCA management where we discussed the mask incident, transformation at eNCA and in the media industry in general. eNCA has committed to issue a statement about our proposals to them and the resolutions of the meeting tomorrow,” Holomisa tweeted.

Last week, eNCA faced a backlash after Dentlinger asked Kwankwa to wear a mask during an interview on the 2021 Budget Speech, while FF Plus leader Pieter Groenewald was interviewed without a mask. This saw several news clips circulated online showing the reporter asking other black politicians to put on their masks, right after speaking to white politicians without masks.

Dentlinger has since apologised and the channel said it was yet to conclude its investigation.

The ANC staged a picket against racism on Tuesday outside the broadcaster’s Hyde Park headquarters in Johannesburg.

The party gave eNCA management seven days to respond to its six demands, which included an unconditional apology to all South Africans for the “pain and hurt” caused by Dentlinger’s conduct.

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