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The lack of sound strategy on how to transform the print media and advertising industry. At the centre are the MDDA programs which must, using indigenous languages, break the monopoly of mainstream media in both the production and distribution of news, as well as other information.
Here lies the center piece of a people centered media: MDDA needs to ask how, through its programs, it can inculcate literary ability in communities. The forms of community media that are at the same time ways of unleashing writing capacity of communities, embrace organic film and documentary products that tell local stories with world class standard and sensibility. In particular because the digital age casts the local on a permanent global platform. Most importantly, community media that is people centered has capacity to improve literacy through inculcating festival of ideas but also affirming the question power of the ordinary people.
Safe to say that the EFF does not think this government has anything to communicate but lies. It is asking for money to mask the broad kleptocratic drama that is unfolding since the resumption of President Zuma into the highest office in the land. Its assumption and integration of GCIS, MDDA and SABC is only to mask the kleptocratic drama that is unfolding and is on the rise.Today, the country is waiting to hear what parliament will say to minister Muthambi as she asks for parliament approval of her budget when she has appointed Hlaudi Mostoeneng as SABC COO. This is after she assured the joint committee that she will make sure that the Public Protectors' report on the SABC is complied with as it is a chapter nine institution.
The minister understood what she meant when saying it is a chapter 9 institution. The constitution compels her and the SABC to respect the findings of this institution. Yet, those who run these proceedings have put the SABC under budget vote number 27 as opposed to 9. Only so we do not have to tell the minister that she has promoted lies and Lairs in the institutions of the state.
The appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng must signify the government's disregard for the law, their own law. It must signify the era of the triumph of the mythomaniac - the pathological lair who is so proud of his lies that he tells us that parliamentarians are just making noise and that is all they can do. Yes, these are the words of Mr. Motsoeneng to me just before his interview with Justice Malala on eNCA last Monday.
I ask you minister: have you no shame? Have you no regard for law, have you no respect, or even self respect? To take platform and force a man who has forged and lied about his qualifications down the throat of South Africans? Do you really not see the danger in an appointment of Motsoeneng?
As the head of communication, your legacy will always be the communicator of lies, the promoter of lairs and the bearer of mythomania: the very disease of the government of the day. People to whom lying is fashionable. You seek for lies, you promote lies, you pay for lies and ask more and more of the money of the people to hire more lairs, and pay them for lying.
That is what you are minister: the truth is that the most important communique we would have wanted to vote for is that you will be doing away with lies; doing away with Hlaudi Motshoeneng whose lies are turning our country into a mockery, and a banana republic.
It does not matter that you think Hlaudi Motsoeneng is a hard working, good COO who does the work. Each time men and women in power break the law and there is no consequence, they delegitimize their role as bearers of social order. But more dangerously they condone evil, disorder and disregard of law.
The EFF does not have faith in you honorable Faith, hence we will go to court to stop you from making a mockery of the findings of the PP. And let it go on record that we did caution about the manner in which your government has reduced the running of this country into a battle of courts, even on simple obvious political issues. But because you are driven by lies, one day you will be forced to corrupt the courts too, but whilst they exist in relative independence, we have no doubt that they will tell you in no equivocal terms that Hlaudi Motsoeneng should be fired.
The SABC faces a crisis, a crisis of leadership and a crisis of legitimacy. Each time we discuss it, we are fed with the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. If you be serious about efficiency and upstanding leadership, you would have not needed to wait for deadlines imposed by the Public Prosecutor. You would act swiftly and with precision to restore confidence in the SABC.
I put it to you: Hlaudi Motshoeneng does not represent efficiency and hard work. He represents a takeover of the SABC, its news in particular for narrow interests framed "happy news" where journalists must get licenses to do the noble craft of enquiry and public scrutiny. This is what you have promoted, and unless you act to correct it, you shall go down in history as the goddess of mythomania: the age of propaganda, the age of the state broadcaster - and not the defender of freedoms of speech and the broadcaster of the public.
I thank you.
by Mbuyiseni Ndlozi
EFF Communications
Media Monitoring Africa
website: www.mma.org.za
