Group protests controversial SABC canning
AUCKLAND PARK- Right2Know protest canning of The Big Debate.
A coalition of social activists converged at SABC in Auckland Park to protest the canning of current affairs show, The Big Debate on 28 October.
Produced by Ben Cashdan, the program brought together politicians, activists and other people who work in the socio-political arena and put them in the hot-seat while they responded to public concerns.
SABC stated that the program was incorrectly commissioned despite the fact that the first season went off without a hitch and the production team were well into filming the second season. With the show being canned at the eleventh hour, it raised questions among the protesters about the validity of the reason given.
“The Big Debate was of huge concern to the regular South African, people watched it to find out about the politics of the day. Now, with the canning, we are seeing more and more of an increasing culture of silence,” said an adamant Jayshree Pather, coordinator from Right2Know coordinator.
“People are too scared to speak out as we now have the notion that to criticise is to insult. As citizens we really need to take a stand and speak out against this culture of fear and silence.”
Other groups present at the protest were Earth Life Africa, Media Monitoring Africa, FXI, Poor and Concerned Residents of Soweto and Section 27.
This is the second production of Cashdan’s to receive the axe from SABC allegedly for political reasons. The first was a documentary about former president Thabo Mbeki in 2006.
Details: www.r2k.org.za
