The SABC maintains it acted responsibly by taking a Democratic Alliance (DA) election campaign advertisement off the air.
The hearing on the DA’s complaint against the SABC was heard at the offices of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) in Sandton, north of Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
The matter was brought to Icasa on an urgent basis, following talks between the parties.
The DA laid a complaint with Icasa on Saturday after the SABC failed to broadcast its election advertisements on TV and radio.
The broadcaster cited various grounds, among them that the TV advert incited violence.
The advertisement in disputed shows the DA Gauteng Premier candidate, Mmusi Maimane, saying the ruling party is corrupt.
The advert also makes reference to the Nkandla saga ( this saga refers to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report on upgrades to President Jacob Zuma’s residence in Nkandla) and police brutality.
The SABC stated that the TV advert incited violence and that it gave false allegations about members of other political parties, among other reasons, but the DA argued that the SABC’s rejection of the party’s advert was an infringement on the freedom of expression.
The public broadcaster insists it had acted responsibly.
– By Pearl Magubane
