Israel Matzav

South African TV reporter banned because she is Jewish

A South African television reporter who reports from Israel has been banned from her home country's TV network because she is Jewish. The ban was undertaken by the head of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and Paula Slier was one of eight reporters banned.

SABC management set up a commission under former SABC head Zwelakhe Sisulu and advocate Gilbert Marcus - after complaints about a ruling, allegedly by news head Snuki Zikalala, that certain commentators and analysts not be used because they were critical of South African President Thabo Mbeki.

The commission, which has now released its findings, said AM Live anchor John Perlman was right when he had said that blacklisting of commentators and analysts was happening "by instruction."

Zikalala ordered an outright ban on reports from Slier because, the commission found, he assumed that since Slier was Jewish she supported Israel.

Zikalala admits to supporting the PLO and justified his ban on Slier, who used to report regularly for the SABC until barred in 2004, by calling the conflict in the Middle East a "Jewish war" and saying the corporation needed someone who was "impartial."

But the commission ruled that Slier's reports were impartial and that the ban was in direct conflict with SABC's policies and bylaws.

In a lengthy interview with the Jerusalem Post, Slier described when the dispute came to a head:

"The situation came to a head in November 2004 when then-PLO chairman Yassir Arafat was dying. I was reporting for SABC as a freelancer in Ramallah - I had since left the corporation where I'd been a senior news reporter and anchor for several years. I was covering the story hourly when suddenly I was told my services would no longer be needed. No explanation was given.

"The inquiry found that Zikalala's direct instruction not to use my reports from the Middle East 'because of alleged bias' was 'improper and against SABC policy.'

"Furthermore, it found that his position was 'motivated by a political position... which has no place whatsoever in a public broadcaster.'

"Encouraging words, but it's alarming that they are said about the chief whip of SABC news.

But here's the most curious part of all: Two weeks ago, South African television tried denying the story. Hmmm.

Update 10:36 AM

The people responsible for the blacklisting at the South African Broadcasting Corporation apparently attempted to cover it up:

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has asked for an urgent meeting with Dali Mpofu, the SABC group chief executive, to discuss the corporation's blacklisting saga.

The labour federation was reacting to reports that disciplinary steps might be taken against John Perlman, the SAfm AMLive anchorman, for contradicting Kaizer Kganyago, the SABC spokesperson, on air. Perlman put it to Kganyago that a blacklist of political commentators, allegedly drawn up by Snuki Zikalala, the news head, did in fact exist.

Patrick Craven, the Cosatu spokesperson, says without Perlman's stance that the SABC might not have been compelled to hold a commission of inquiry, which he says confirmed the blacklisting allegations.

...

Zikalala and Perlman may face disciplinary hearings arising out of the "blacklisting" report. Both were asked to give written explanations of allegations against them in the SABC's blacklist report.

Mpofu said that after the Sisulu Commission of Inquiry into the alleged blacklisting of political analysts at SABC was handed to him, he met both Zikalala and Perlman. "I told them the commission and the evidence broadly contained a 'case to answer' for each of them," said Mpofu.

He asked both to give him written statements in response to their apparent wrongdoing. Both have done so. Mpofu would decide within two weeks on whether there was a case against the two.

Zikalala allegedly ordered the exclusion of some political analysts against SABC policy on balanced coverage.

It seems to me that Perlman should get a medal rather than a hearing.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:10 AM