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Sunday Independent to apologise to SABC - ombudsman
The SABC in a statement today, Thursday, 5 August 2010, welcomed the ruling by deputy press ombudsman Johan Retief of the Press Council of South Africa that the Sunday Independent newspaper publish an apology to the SABC "for possible harm caused to the SABC" by the article published on 28 February 2010, headlined 'SABC told to drop Malema story'.
This follows a complaint laid by SABC board member Clifford Motsepe (who is also an ANCYL national executive committee member and head of the Housing and Local Government Department in Limpopo), who in said article is alleged to have instructed the SABC's regional news editor in Polokwane not to broadcast footage of a protest march by a group of businessmen in Limpopo. Motsepe and the SABC were on record as denying this allegation.
Analysis
The deputy press ombudsman, in his analysis of the complaint, found that the Sunday Independent based its story on the use of information received from an anonymous single source, and this was in breach of Art. 1.4 of the Press Code.
"The SABC is heartened and welcomes the fair decision made by the Press Council. As the media we have a responsibility and obligation to report news that is truthful and accurate. It is therefore disturbing when a media institution breaks the foundation of journalist principles in the pursuit of sensationalism, and more so when it is done against another media institution" said SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.
The newspaper will also have to publish a summary of the finding and sanction by the Press Council in this matter. Sunday Independent has seven days to appeal from the date of the decision.
Full ruling
To view the full ruling, go to Clifford Motsepe vs. Sunday Independent.
