The SABC’s chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng says it’s only big, white-controlled production companies that are complaining about programme commissioning changes at the SABC, that they use black faces to get work, and that the SABC isn’t going to allow it.<\/p>\n
A finger-waving Motsoeneng again took to the stage at The New Age newspaper’s latest breakfast briefing in Sandton where he boasted about the public broadcaster\u2019s increase in spending on programming and slammed South African production companies who are complaining when he was asked about local content.<\/p>\n
“At SABC we have put out RFP [request for proposals] book, which is more than R600 million, moving from R121 million in the first time in the history of the organisation. That money is to make sure we produce local content, especially in different provinces.<\/p>\n
“I know there is an issue now about that process where people are unhappy. Some of people, especially from provinces. And reason being because you don\u2019t have big production houses in those other different provinces,” said Motsoeneng.<\/p>\n
‘Controlled by white people<\/strong>‘<\/p>\n “What we have been doing at the SABC is, those big production houses they should make sure that they partner with emerging small production houses from different provinces. So that we can give them business,” said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.<\/p>\n “If they\u2019re not going to partner with those provinces we are not going to be able to do business with them.<\/p>\n “The fact of the matter: This industry called production houses, they have been controlled by white people most of the time. It’s those people who are making noise, because now we are making sure that the cake is shared by everyone.<\/p>\n “People making noise are those production houses which are big. And when they are saying they are partnering, you only have people \u2013 they are not shareholders \u2013 they use their faces. Which we are not going to allow at the SABC \u2013 those faces, as black people \u2013 using them, not even paying them well”.<\/p>\n ‘When they march to SABC they’re 50’<\/strong><\/p>\n Hlaudi Motsoeneng also took a swipe at non-profit, civil society organisations like the SOS Coalition, which attended the breakfast briefing, and the Right2Know Campaign (R2K) which in the past organised marched and picketed the SABC.<\/p>\n “We are very aware of these matters, who are these people who are making this big noise, saying they represent the public. Actually when they march to SABC they\u2019re 50. Only 50 people, they\u2019re not even more than 100,” said Motsoeneng.<\/p>\n “Within the organisation we as SABC we want black and white and Indians \u2013 the rainbow nation of Nelson Mandela \u2013 to produce the content for the SABC, equally so.”<\/p>\n “But they should understand that we must prioritise people with disability, we must prioritise those people who are emerging now; now is their time,” said Motsoeneng.<\/p>\n New SABC CEO draws mixed reaction<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n SABC\u2019s Motsoeneng appeal heads to Supreme Court<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n SABC spends R3 million on a choir to praise its boss<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore on the SABC<\/h3>\n