EFF leader Julius Malema (CC image courtesy of Gary van der Merwe)
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is now holding a public hearing into the complaint by opposition party the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) regarding the banning of EFF political election broadcasts by the state-owned South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
HumanIPO reported on Tuesday the SABC refused to air a political broadcast by the EFF on the grounds the advertisement allegedly incites violence, with the EFF claiming the SABC’s action is illegal and lodging a complaint with ICASA over the dispute.
ICASA today said its Complaints and Compliance Committee (CCC) will hold a public hearing on the matter at 5pm today at the ICASA head office in Johannesburg.
The regulator said the SABC argues the political adverts call upon the public to engage in “acts of lawlessness”, encouraging people to destroy e-tolling infrastructure.
The EFF maintains the banning of the advertisement by the state broadcaster compromises the concept of free and fair elections, as well as impinging on the principle of freedom of expression.
HumanIPO reported a similar dispute has been ongoing between rival party the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the SABC, following the withdrawal of DA political advertisements which the DA claims amounts to censorship.
The complaint by the DA was being heard by ICASA’s CCC, however the hearing was suspended as the SABC decided to seek a new legal team, with the contested ads being reinstated in the interim.
