SABC board chairman Khanyi Mkonza told Morning Live presenters Vuyo Mbali and Lee-Ann Manas on November 24 that Icasa regulations stipulated that political parties have to be given coverage according to their representation in Parliament. She said this would negatively affect parties that had only one MP.

SABC board chairman Khanyi Mkonza told Morning Live presenters Vuyo Mbali and Lee-Ann Manas on November 24 that Icasa regulations stipulated that political parties have to be given coverage according to their representation in Parliament. She said this would negatively affect parties that had only one MP.

If so, then the SABC and Icasa have historically violated their own rules. We all know of the massive media coverage the ID received in the last general elections despite its one-person representation in Parliament. Patricia de Lille hogged the media endlessly despite the Icasa rule. No party with single-member representation receives the kind of representation that De Lille received.

Worse still, as is evident, the SACP receives so must media coverage (perhaps second only to the ANC) despite the fact that this party has no representation in any of the legislatures in the country.

If the "rule" is valid then the Shikota group (Cope) would not have received such massive coverage before the party was even launched. Cope's registration has not yet been formally accepted by the IEC.

Perhaps that is another (hidden) reason why the ANC is gatvol with the SABC's coverage of Cope. How does the national broadcaster respond?

Themba Sono, AFD president