Hlaudi grabs at total control of the SABC

The broadcaster's revised editorial policy stipulates that Motsoeneng has the final say on all editorial matters and is responsible for all content - a departure from the previous policy under which these responsibilities were the domain of the CEO.

The decision to strip the CEO of his powers comes while the incumbent, Frans Matlala, is on suspension. The acting CEO, Jimi Matthews, is regarded as a close ally of Motsoeneng.

The revised policy has been implemented without being presented to parliament's oversight committee.

Under the previous policy the CEO was the broadcaster's editor-in-chief, but now the heads of news, current affairs and sport must all refer to Motsoeneng on editorial matters.

The old policy said "voluntary upward referral" could extend as far as the group CEO, in his capacity as editor-in-chief. "The role of editor-in-chief is one of many responsibilities that the group CEO assumes and should not be confused with the functions of the heads of radio, television, news, sport and education or of the other editors and channel and station managers," it said.

Under the revised policy, however, these powers have been shifted to the chief operating officer.

When issues could not be resolved at line manager level, "the guidance shall be from the chief operating officer . [whose] decision on any editorial issue shall be final", states the revised policy.

Motsoeneng would not comment on the changes and his newly acquired powers and referred the Sunday Times to Matthews.

Matthews confirmed that Motsoeneng's editorial powers extended beyond news. "When we talk about editorial content we don't only talk about news," he said. "We're a full-spectrum broadcaster, meaning we have entertainment, kids programmes, religious programming, sport and news.

"So it is overall editorial responsibility - not just for the news.

"But let's not confuse the incumbent with the office. At the SABC the chief operating officer is responsible for all operations.

"So from a practical point of view it makes sense that editorial responsibility stops in the office of the chief operating officer," said Matthews.

The SABC has recently made a number of controversial editorial decisions, including ordering radio presenters to drop live call-in lines until after the municipal elections.

Motsoeneng is said to have made this decision.

In 2013, he called for 70% of the news stories aired by the public broadcaster to be positive and urged SABC journalists to deliver more "sunshine journalism".

In reply to a question by DA MP Phumzile van Damme, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi said the decision to embark on an editorial policy review had been driven by "legislative and regulatory requirements".

She said the first consultation before the policy's implementation was an "internal process geared to identify issues that need to be addressed".

The policy states that it is not intended to shift editorial decision-making upwards; rather it is intended, when required, to "underpin collective decision-making and shared editorial responsibility".

Van Damme said the procedure followed in drafting the revised policy had been incorrect.

"Public consultation was inadequate. In the previous review of the editorial policy, there was a draft policy circulated and discussed," she said.

"Also, the new editorial policy was approved in secret, no public announcement was made. Had I not submitted that parliamentary question, we would have never known that there was a new policy."

Source: Sunday Times