EFF leader Julius Malema (CC image courtesy of Gary van der Merwe)
Julius Malema, leader of South African opposition party the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has said ruling party the African National Congress (ANC) and the powerful Gupta family are interfering in the running of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).
Malema was speaking on Radio 702 before the South African elections last week.
“We used to manipulate the SABC so that’s why I know what is happening there,” he said, referring to his time as the head of the ANC Youth League.
He said SABC chief executive officers (CEOs) are appointed by ANC representatives at Luthuli House, as well as members of the Gupta family, and numerous ICASA employees sit on the ANC communications subcommittee.
Speaking of SABC News, he said: “I know the whole system, I know how we used to change news bulletins.”
Malema also said the ANC had changed the order of new bulletins, putting positive news about the party first.
ICASA, the ANC and the Department of Communications (DoC) were contacted for comment but did not reply by the time of publication.
