ANC criticises Solly Malatsi after SABC seeks R120m for election coverage

The ANC has criticised Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi after the SABC told Parliament it needs R120 million in additional funding to support coverage of the November 4 local government elections. According to IOL, the ANC Study Group on Communications and Digital Technologies said Malatsi twice declined to back the broadcaster’s request during the adjustments budget process.

What the SABC asked for

According to IOL, the SABC told Parliament it requires R120 million to support its election coverage, including deployment of personnel, technology and broadcasting infrastructure for the November polls. Parliament’s portfolio committee has called for the funding to be urgently secured.

ANC’s concerns and parliamentary exchanges

The ANC Study Group said the additional funding was needed for the SABC to procure critical ICT infrastructure, train staff and provide multilingual coverage to underserved communities, as reported by IOL. The group told the portfolio committee on August 11 and 14 that the minister had not supported the application on compliance grounds.

IOL reports that the SABC disputed that its application was late. The committee asked for a timeline of the process. Malatsi later told the committee he had engaged National Treasury and the Presidency to explore options for resolving the matter.

Calls for accountability

The ANC Study Group pointed to written confirmation from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on May 4, which it said showed the SABC’s election funding needs had not been presented to the budget committees or Cabinet, according to IOL. The group described the minister’s non-action as a “deliberate move that cripples the SABC” and said the broadcaster had been left to arrange coverage without a confirmed budget allocation.

The ANC called on Malatsi to provide a detailed timeline and records of decisions relating to the SABC’s funding application, and asked that the Ministers of Finance and Communications and Digital Technologies appear jointly before the portfolio committee. It also requested a formal report of approaches made to National Treasury and the Presidency and urgent legal advice from Parliamentary Legal Services on whether the minister’s refusal complies with Treasury Regulations, per IOL.

“The failure lies squarely with the Executive Authority, and the ANC Study Group will use all parliamentary mechanisms to hold the Minister accountable,”

Parliamentary warning on election coverage

IOL reports that Parliament warned the SABC’s financial constraints could affect the depth and scope of its election coverage and leave political parties unevenly profiled. The committee stressed the public broadcaster’s constitutional and legislative responsibility to provide reliable and timely election information to citizens, including those in underserved and rural communities.

Next steps

According to IOL, the matter was placed on the committee’s agenda for August 18, when Malatsi was present. The committee has called for the funding to be secured urgently and for clarity on the application process and timelines.

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