South Africa’s SABC Chief faces state intel vetting ahead of election

by | May 7, 2024

Cape Independent news, Western Cape politics, Cape of Good Hope current affairs, conservative news South Africa, local autonomy Cape, decentralisation Western Cape, Cape conservative opinion, South Africa conservative media, Western Cape news, Cape Town politics, conservative Cape news, local governance Cape, Western Cape opinion articles, Cape autonomy movement, South Africa decentralisation news
Moshoeshoe Monare, the new editor in chief, will be subjected to lie detector tests and background checks to make sure his messaging is in line with official state views

SHARE POST:

✅ Link Copied

The South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) editor-in-chief, Moshoeshoe Monare, has been asked to undergo security vetting and a polygraph test by the State Security Agency (SSA) ahead of the country’s upcoming May 29 general election. The move has raised concerns about press freedom and political interference in the media.

The request, made on April 18, followed a leaked audio recording of President Cyril Ramaphosa urging positive media coverage for the African National Congress (ANC) during the election campaign. Monare, also the SABC’s Group Executive of News and Current Affairs, described the request as sudden and unusual, coming almost two years after his initial vetting in 2020.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and local media freedom organizations have condemned the SSA’s actions, calling them intimidatory and a threat to editorial independence. They argue that the timing, just weeks before the election, suggests an attempt to influence media coverage.

While the SSA defended the vetting as standard procedure for all SABC executives due to the broadcaster’s status as a national key point, critics argue that polygraph tests should only be used for severe national security threats, not routine employment processes.

This incident is not the first involving the SABC and political controversy. In 2022, Monare’s predecessor, Phathiswa Magopeni, was fired following a disciplinary hearing over airing an interdicted program. Magopeni alleged political targeting, claiming she resisted pressure to conduct an unscheduled interview with Ramaphosa during the 2021 local government election campaign.

The SABC has defended its actions, stating there is nothing sinister about the vetting process. However, concerns persist among civil society groups and journalists about potential political interference in the media. Presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya has denied any targeting of Monare, stating that the president would not condone intimidation or harassment of journalists, as it goes against the constitutional protection of press freedom.

The outcome of this vetting process and its implications for press freedom in South Africa remain to be seen as the country prepares for a crucial election amidst growing discontent over issues like poverty, unemployment, and corruption.

‍

0 0 votes
Rate this article

Independent news and opinion from the Cape of Good Hope for readers who value good old common sense. We focus on what really matters in South Africa.

Article views: 13

Interested in joining the movement? Find ways to get involved

GET NOTIFIED FOR NEW CONTENT

read more

Choose CX, Greater Knysna, Knysna civic movement, local government accountability, municipal service delivery, Knysna municipality, community-led initiative, water supply issues Knysna, electricity outages Knysna, municipal governance South Africa, infrastructure maintenance, transparent procurement, local politics Knysna, civic activism South Africa, waste collection problems

Civic movement grows in Knysna with goal of stability and “no national ambitions”

Choose CX looks to bring stable, accountable self-governance to address Knysna’s ongoing service delivery and infrastructure failures.

AfriForum SANDF security, SANDF burglaries Gauteng, military base security South Africa, weapons theft SANDF, Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum community safety, military facility security breaches, South African military crime, strategic infrastructure security, organised crime South Africa, SANDF security assessment, military base vulnerabilities

AfriForum offers training to SANDF

AfriForum offers SANDF security assistance after burglaries, weapons thefts and repeated breaches at Gauteng military facilities.

South Africa China trade, China zero tariff policy, South African exports, South Africa trade agreement, China Africa trade, South African agriculture exports, South African mining exports, tariff free exports China, South Africa economy, China investment Africa

China opens temporary zero-tariff trade for 20 African countries

While China has opened a temporary zero tariff window for South Africa, trade with China is not always straightforward.

Think clearly about informal housing fires in Masi and Cape Town

David Wilkinson

Informal settlements in Cape Town suffer fires due to lack of planning, regulations, and safety standards.

Joburg is a warning to Cape Town

Guest Author

Cape Town’s densification plan mirrors Johannesburg’s path of collapse.

Understand South Africa’s Oligarchy

May 15th, 2026

South Africa oligarchy, South African economy, economic concentration South Africa, political economy South Africa, wealth inequality South Africa, corporate power South Africa, oligarchs South Africa, state and business relations, concentrated wealth South Africa, South African elites, economic power structures, monopoly economy South Africa, South African capitalism, political influence business, institutional power South Africa

SA must go feudal now or it will die

May 12th, 2026

South Africa decline, South Africa de developing state, South African politics, tribalism in South Africa, feudalism and political order, South African infrastructure collapse, post apartheid South Africa, South African liberalism, minority self reliance South Africa, African tribal politics, Francis Fukuyama South Africa, South African state failure, Cape independence movement, Solidarity Movement, Sakeliga, Lex Libertas, South African governance crisis, race and institutions South Africa, South African social commentary, South African political analysis, South Africa 2026