SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng says he wants staff at the public broadcaster\u00a0 to wear uniforms as a sign of unity.<\/p>\n
Motsoeneng told City Press in an interview: \u201cI have been thinking maybe our employees should have uniforms so that they can understand unity.”<\/p>\n
Motsoeneng has been accused of censoring his journalists, to report only on ‘good news’ in the country.<\/p>\n
He has also defended the decision by the SABC not to show coverage of violence, protests, and people destroying public property.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a panel discussion at that the National Press Club in Pretoria on Tuesday evening, he said: \u201cI am not apologetic about what is happening within the organisation and journalists can\u2019t tell us, or print media or any commercial radio station. They can\u2019t decide for SABC.”<\/p>\n
In May, the SABC implemented 90% local content across all its 18 radio stations<\/a> under the instruction of Motsoeneng. The broadcaster further aims to beef up local content on its commercial television station by up to 80%, by July.<\/p>\n \u201cI can tell you that 90% of South Africans are very excited with the transformation at the SABC and our improved news coverage, and I don\u2019t know where this other 10% comes from or who they represent. People are very apologetic where they have to implement equity and transformation, but not us at the SABC,\u201d Motsoeneng told City Press.<\/p>\n He said SABC employees were expected to \u201csing the song and talk the talk of the SABC\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the SABC releases a statement, our employees can\u2019t say \u2018the SABC said this\u2019; they must say \u2018we are saying this or have decided on that\u2019. They can\u2019t report like other broadcasters when they are part of any SABC decision,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe SABC is independent as an organisation, but no one is independent within the organisation.\u201d<\/p>\n Watch: Motsoeneng deserves a gold medal<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n SA media \u2018censors\u2019 good news: Motsoeneng<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n SABC channel will have 80% local content by July: Motsoeneng<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nMore on the SABC<\/h3>\n