South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks to a crowd of tens of thousands protesting outside parliament against gender-based violence following a week of brutal murders of young South African women in Cape Town, South Africa, 05 September 2019. Picture: EPA-EFE / NIC BOTHMA
The SA Broadcasting Corporation has apologised to president Cyril Ramaphosa for televising an incorrect version of the president’s national address.
The broadcaster is probing the circumstances that led to an unedited version of Ramaphosa’s address being aired on the broadcaster’s channel on Thursday evening.
Spokesperson Vuyo Mthembu said: “In a pre-recorded televised message by President Cyril Ramaphosa to the nation this evening (Thursday evening), the SABC inadvertently broadcast an incorrect version of the president’s speech on SABC News.
“The public broadcaster wishes to apologise to the president of the republic and the nation for any embarrassment caused in this unfortunate breach of news production processes. The SABC takes this issue very seriously and can assure the president and the public that due processes will be followed and appropriate action taken.”
Ramaphosa’s national address video surfaced on social media, showing Ramaphosa apologising for making a mistake while tabling issues the country faced, such as gender-based violence and xenophobia.
“These killings have caused great pain and outrage throughout the country because… let’s start again, I made a mistake there,” he says, before starting over.
Read Ramaphosa’s address below:
My fellow South Africans,
Our nation is in mourning and pain.
Over the past few days, our country has been deeply traumatised by acts of extreme violence perpetrated by men against women and children.
These acts of violence have made us doubt the very foundation of our democratic society, our commitment to human rights and human dignity, to equality, to peace and to justice.
As we have done before in times of great difficulty and strife, this is the time to come together as a nation to confront our problems directly.
The nation is mourning the deaths of several women and girls who were murdered by men.
We know the names of Uyinene Mrwetyana, Leighandre Jegels, Janika Mallo, Ayakha Jiyane and her three little siblings, but we also grieve for many others who have died at the hands of men.
These killings have caused great pain and outrage because acts of such brutality have become all too common in our communities.
Violence against women has become more than a national crisis.
It is a crime against our common humanity.
Read the full address here.
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