The SABC’s powerful Cape Town bureau continues to be dogged by
allegations of mismanagement and politically skewed reporting in favour
of an African National Congress (ANC) faction in Western Cape — even
though an independent board of enquiry, under former CEO Zwelakhe
Sisulu and lawyer Gilbert Marcus, last year apparently recommended that
the public broadcaster address the problems, writes Edward West in Business Day.

Last week Business Day obtained information from former journalists, who did not wish their names to be published, that provides context to these concerns and which details some of the reasons that have allegedly led to the SABC’s Cape Town newsroom losing at least one senior news staffer every three months since 1999.

One former SABC journalist claims the situation is not much different in other SABC newsrooms. Attempts since Thursday to get SABC comment on these specific allegations were unsuccessful .

A request for an interview with SABC board chairman Khanyisiwe Mkonza earlier last week, was denied.

A request for comment from the SABC’s Cape Town editor, Jeffrey Twala, was referred to the SABC public spokesman Kaizer Kganyago, who would only say that many recent allegations about the SABC in the media were inaccurate.

Some of the alleged mismanagement in the Cape Town bureau includes details of “relentless verbal abuse of staffers” and the “way in which Twala manipulates the news for political gain”.

Click here to read the full report, posted on Business Day's website.ÂÂÂ