A parliamentary inquiry described as “chilling evidence” the testimony it heard about “the blatant disregard of journalistic values and ethics” at the SABC.

That’s according to a “working document”‚ compiled following the conclusion of the work of Parliament’s ad hoc committee on the SABC board inquiry‚ which emerged on Tuesday night.

“Testimony from the ‘SABC 8’ gave an account of how the announcement in 2013 that the SABC would henceforth report ‘70% positive news and 30% negative news’ had affected unbiased reporting and contravened the most basic of journalistic ethics‚” it reads.

While the “crisis” regarding “independent and credible news and current affairs programmes to the vast majority of citizens and residents has been present for a long period”‚ it “was particularly pronounced through the month of July 2016” ahead of the local government elections.

At the time‚ COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng had reportedly ordered on a ban of showing footage of violent protest action.

“In this period‚ journalists were suspended and summarily dismissed for challenging editorial directives requiring journalists to self-censor. Although seven of the eight journalists were reinstated shortly after their dismissal‚ they informed Icasa (Independent Communications Authority of SA) that the editorial was continuing unabatedly‚” the parliamentary inquiry said.

It said the broadcaster’s “policy undermined core principals of truth and was one of the many attempts by senior management to undermine quality journalism in favour of content that would yield positive spin-offs”.

It said the “editorial interference undermines prescripts of the Broadcasting Act‚ inhibiting citizens from making informed judgments on topical issues”.

“Editorial independence and institutional autonomy are absolutely essential components of public broadcasting‚ and therefore the safeguards in place to ensure ethical and quality journalism should not be compromised.”

The inquiry made three recommendations regarding “journalistic ethics and related matters”:

- “As a public broadcaster the SABC must at all time adhere to the highest

standards of journalism with editorial independence being uppermost;

- “The SABC must ensure that its audience regain the confidence that public interest information‚ entertainment programmes and educational programmes are credible and reliable; and

“The SABC board must ensure that an environment free of intimidation or abuse of power must prevail at all time at the public broadcaster.”

The document‚ which will be discussed on Thursday and Friday‚ also recommends that “steps must be taken to recover irregular‚ fruitless and wasteful expenditure in instances where it can be recovered”.

“In 2014‚ irregular expenditure incurred by SABC was R990.7-million‚ R2.4-billion was incurred in prior years but discovered in 2014 resulting to a cumulative figure of R3.4-billion. R441.2-million was incurred in 2016. In addition to this‚ R322.3-million was incurred in prior periods but identified in 2016‚ resulting in the escalation of irregular expenditure to R5.1-billion‚” the document says. – TMG Digital