SABC turns into its own soap opera

Boy, am I glad I don't work at the SABC at the moment! As Noma has reported on the CJA site, it's been a week of drama. First the CEO, Dali Mpofu announced he was suspending the head of news, Snuki Sikalala. Then the next day we woke up to the news that the Board had suspended the CEO.

All of this, in turn, comes after Parliament's Communications Committee passed a motion of no confidence in the SABC board last week!
(http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=6&art_id=vn200805010634...) It's all rather like one of the SABC's own soap operas -- but any script-writer who wrote this plot would be told to change it -- it's too far fetched to be believed.

Many commentators have been saying that this is part of the battle between the Mbeki and Zuma factions in the ANC. So, it goes like this: Snuki Zikalala is known as an Mbeki man, and he was suspended by Mpofu, who perhaps used to be an Mbeki man but is now apparently in the Zuma camp. Mpofu was then suspended by the Board, which is believed to be loaded with Mbeki supporters, and the board has been censured by the Parliamentary committee, which is full of Zuma's people.

The tragedy is that no matter who wins in the end, it can no longer be denied that the SABCs independence as an institution has been seriously compromised.

But the SABC is a strange animal. Most of this news, as it was unfolding, came from the SABC itself. I listened open-mouthed in my car yesterday as SABC's current affairs teams brought us blow-by-blow commentary. In radio, in particular, the current affairs teams of serving the various stations enjoy a fair deal of autonomy and while the SABC as a whole is in a sad state, it must be said that there are still many good, dedicated journalists there, with integrity, who are doing their best in the circumstances.

But of course turmoil like this is bad for morale. I know - I worked at the SABC for most of the 90s, and from about 1993 the organisation has been pretty much in permanent transition. The SABC has seen some of the most talented and dedicated journalists in SA pass through its doors, only to leave again when they could no longer stand the constant politicking and upheaval. I shouldn't be surprised to see a new wave of good people leaving in the wake of this latest debacle.

Meanwhile, there is another point to be made from all of this, which is that we are seeing an increasing number of top officials sitting in limbo, as they wait out sometimes indefinite suspensions -- as The Citizen newspaper has pointed out (www.google.com/calendar/render?tab=mc): "Other notables who find themselves in limbo are National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi and National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli. Then there’s the famous safe driver, Ekurhuleni Metro Police Chief Robert McBride, who’s not officially suspended although he’s not supposed to be at work."

In my head I keep hearing the voices of Zimbabwean colleagues and friends, who have told me many times: "we see the warning signs that your democracy is in danger -- it starts slowly. Watch out." I wonder what they are thinking as they observe the latest events unfolding. I'm too scared to ask.