A group of Ndebele language and cultural organisations held a meeting with the SABC board today to express their disapproval of the relocation of Ikwekwezi FM from Pretoria to Auckland Park, Johannesburg.
This comes after their march to the SABC offices in Hatfield, Pretoria, today against the relocation.
The organisations, which include KwaNdebele Coalition for Injustices, VUKO, Moloto Rail Concern Residents, Kings Delegation, Ubukhosi baMaNdebele and other formations, said the Ikwekwezi FM, the Ndebele language radio station, should remain in Pretoria or be moved to KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga.
March organiser Hotlot Masemula told SowetanLIVE that they had a meeting with the SABC board this afternoon at the public broadcaster’s Hatfield offices.
“We met with sosdme members of the SABC executive board. We told them what we want. We told them we want it [public broadcaster] to serve the interests of the KwaNdebele people,” said Masemula.
Masemula said they didn’t go to the department of communications office as planned.
“We will set a special day to go there. The conclusion of our meeting was that the SABC will communicate with us within the next 14 days on how this matter can be solved to everybody’s satisfaction. We agreed that they should talk to us as stakeholders before making any decisions,” said Masemula.
SABC spokesperson Mmoni Seapolelo confirmed that a consultation meeting took place between the public broadcaster and the cultural formations.
“It must be noted that the decision to consider relocating SABC's Pretoria office to Auckland Park is part of the much-needed cost-saving initiatives to protect future jobs. The Pretoria office is an additional cost burden, while there is extensive office and studio capacity at Auckland Park," said Seapolelo.
Seapolelo said the SABC is committed to preserving and promoting its various radio and television platforms.
"Therefore, this decision is not intended in any way to erode the fundamental services which were rendered by Ikwekwezi FM over the years. It must be noted that there will be noted that there will be no impact to the station and the SABC will continue with its growth strategy for this station In addition, to ensure Ndebele people are adequately served accordingly, the SABC's news division will continue to maintain a presence in Pretoria, close to the Government Communciations Information System (GCIS)," said Seapolelo.
Ndebele cultural group meets SABC over relocation of Ikwekwezi FM from PTA to JHB
A group of Ndebele language and cultural organisations held a meeting with the SABC board today to express their disapproval of the relocation of Ikwekwezi FM from Pretoria to Auckland Park, Johannesburg.
This comes after their march to the SABC offices in Hatfield, Pretoria, today against the relocation.
The organisations, which include KwaNdebele Coalition for Injustices, VUKO, Moloto Rail Concern Residents, Kings Delegation, Ubukhosi baMaNdebele and other formations, said the Ikwekwezi FM, the Ndebele language radio station, should remain in Pretoria or be moved to KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga.
March organiser Hotlot Masemula told SowetanLIVE that they had a meeting with the SABC board this afternoon at the public broadcaster’s Hatfield offices.
“We met with sosdme members of the SABC executive board. We told them what we want. We told them we want it [public broadcaster] to serve the interests of the KwaNdebele people,” said Masemula.
Masemula said they didn’t go to the department of communications office as planned.
“We will set a special day to go there. The conclusion of our meeting was that the SABC will communicate with us within the next 14 days on how this matter can be solved to everybody’s satisfaction. We agreed that they should talk to us as stakeholders before making any decisions,” said Masemula.
SABC spokesperson Mmoni Seapolelo confirmed that a consultation meeting took place between the public broadcaster and the cultural formations.
“It must be noted that the decision to consider relocating SABC's Pretoria office to Auckland Park is part of the much-needed cost-saving initiatives to protect future jobs. The Pretoria office is an additional cost burden, while there is extensive office and studio capacity at Auckland Park," said Seapolelo.
Seapolelo said the SABC is committed to preserving and promoting its various radio and television platforms.
"Therefore, this decision is not intended in any way to erode the fundamental services which were rendered by Ikwekwezi FM over the years. It must be noted that there will be noted that there will be no impact to the station and the SABC will continue with its growth strategy for this station In addition, to ensure Ndebele people are adequately served accordingly, the SABC's news division will continue to maintain a presence in Pretoria, close to the Government Communciations Information System (GCIS)," said Seapolelo.