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6 October 2004

Programme Director
Honourable Mayor Patrick Lenyibi
Representatives of Political Parties in the Province
Community Leaders
Officials of our Organs of Government
Chairperson of the SABC Board: Eddie Funde
Members of the Board
SABC Management
Distinguished Guests

We acknowledge this forum as the foundation for a broadcasting service that treats all South African citizens equitably by responding to their needs. This is the facilitation of a paradigm shift by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in enhancing its service as a public broadcaster.

Let me also use this opportunity to welcome you to the Northern Cape, and formally congratulate you as new board members and the SABC Management. We applaude you for holding this forum, to seek public opinions on the SABC. We believe that forums like these are inextricably linked to the enforcement of democracy. They stand out as a catalyst of nation building that is underpinned by democratic ethos. Therefore, as members of the board, you deserve a pat on the back for using this forum as an instrument that would enhance national dialogue.

We certainly believe that in soliciting the views of the general public, your ultimate goal of enabling all citizens to participate in the democratic political system would be achieved. Therefore concerns raised here and in other forums should meaningfully enhance your obligation towards the public.

My contribution should therefore be viewed in this light, as we do not wish to create misconceptions that our provincial government is prescribing to you.

Nevertheless Chairperson,

The Northern Cape public has a right to be informed on all-important developments that have a bearing on their future.

In analysing the demographics of the Northern Cape against the SABC’s public broadcaster mandate, we all accede that much needs to be done in harnessing diversity.

Kindly note that some of the issues we will be raising have been raised before and different platforms have been explored to bring these critical concerns to the attention of the former board and no positive response has come forth since.

We have also made our submission at the hearings, which were held in Kimberley last year, where the SABC promised us, that these issues would be addressed. By using this platform once more, is an indication that we are committed in interacting with your institution until solutions are found.

NO SIGNAL

Those living on the fringes of society are still not able to tune into the television and radio channels of their choice. Endless meetings have been conducted with the SABC’s leadership at different stages over the past years in attempt to pursue meaningful dialogues that would remedy the situation.

The Northern Cape is still largely disconnected. It yearns to being part of the pulse of Africa’s creative spirit. The people of the province want to exercise choice by tuning into SABC 3 and Umhlobo wenene.

You may be aware that the province has four official languages i.e. SeTswana, Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa.

Those living in the Namaqualand district access only one free-to-air television channel and have to live with radio stations that have an irrelevant programming content.

Government’s Cabinet meets the people initiative serves in most cases as the only vehicle that informs them on fundamental changes

The SABC needs to step up its efforts. Access is still the biggest cry for a large number on the Northern Cape public. Influencing what we see and hear would be their second battle for they have never seen SABC 1 or tuned into a relevant radio station. The SABC also belongs to them.

A blow to local news and information for the Northern Cape public could be cited through the sudden death of the “window current affairs shows” that were broadcasted in Kimberley. Although these only addressed two languages i.e. Tswana and Afrikaans, The SABC’s charter also suffered a blow at the hands of an urge to generate revenue.

NEWS OFFICE

The Kimberley news office is heavily under-staffed and under-resourced and has always been treated with less seriousness.

During our interaction with Dr Snuki Zikalala who visited our Province shortly after his appointment, we had an opportunity to raise our concerns but it will enhance our statements if we repeat them here today.

It is our concern that the SABC office in Kimberley is treated like a stepchild of the SABC. SABC news offices in other provinces are treated and staffed much better.

We have yet to see a dedicated Political/Parliamentary reporter in Kimberley. Our political programmes are not covered on radio and television because reporters mainly focus on general stories. For example all the memorial services, which were held for the late Rev. Beyers Naude, throughout the country, (i.e. in all provinces) were covered by both the television and radio news. But unfortunately in the Northern Cape our memorial service for this great man was not covered.

A false perception was therefore created that the whole country is in mourning except the people of the Northern Cape.

XK FM

Chairperson, our concerns are unique, as we do not have a radio stations broadcasting from our province. We must further, however, appreciate the SABC for creating a voice for the voiceless.

XK FM is indeed a flagship for us; it creates hope and nurtures our cultural heritage. But unfortunately in caters for a smaller group of people in our province, reaching about five thousand families. XK FM does not reach all our San communities in the province. Even if they had access to the station the languages used are different from their own.

Some of these languages are facing extinction as a few of the San people can speak some of these languages and most of them are fast using Afrikaans for communication.

Ten years after freedom and democratic dispensation these communities are still denied access to information in their indigenous languages.

Preserving these languages is a central responsibility in restoring cultural heritage of our indigenous people.

Our Nama communities in the Richtersveld, whose origins are rooted in the province still, do not have such a privilege of listening to news and current affairs in their own language.

In addressing these complex issues the board should be sensitive enough not to marginalise against other communities at the expense of others.

Research studies should therefore be conducted to establish best practices in catering for other groups as well to avoid cultural conflict.

Resources should be channelled towards initiatives, which will benefit all communities.

Your intention to build a station at Platfontein may be supported by good intentions and in a way be part of an initiative to address your mandate. Indeed, a community radio station should be based in the community.

But even this initiative could have detrimental effect especially when other issues have not been addressed.

A false perception has been created that the SABC only takes the San people in Platfontein seriously.

This perception is fast sowing ill feeling and unhappiness amongst other communities or cultural groups who believe that their concerns have never been addressed and yet a community, which has been in the country for less than two decades, has access to all these services.

Chairperson, I hope that you’ll agree with me that, we should do everything possible to avoid implementing policies and initiatives, which may incite ethnical conflicts.

We also appeal to you as members of the board to apply your mind in finding alternatives to the homeland structure of apartheid which concluded that Motsweding, a SeTswana radio station should service the former Bophuthatswana homeland (North West) and some neighbouring areas, as that is where the Tswana speaking people are, and that Umhlobo Wenene should service the former Transkei and Ciskei (Eastern Cape) as that is where all the Xhosa speaking people are.

A false perception was then concluded that no African radio station should broadcast from the Northern Cape, as there are no Africans there.

This is still the situation as those areas, which are closer to the North West province, have access to Motsweding and those who are closer to the Eastern Cape have access to Umhlobo Wenene.

If you are a Tswana speaking resident in Prieska then you will not hear news and current affairs in your language unless you learn the other languages fast enough or in extreme cases you may then relocate.

For example, it is sad that our Xhosa speaking people in Kimberley which is the capital of the province have no access to a station of their language i.e. Umhlobo wenene.

This is a sad reality for our people. The people of this province deserve a better communication plan.

As I indicated earlier, your approach towards this province should be a unique one as our challenges differ from other provinces.

Through their programming, these radio stations continue to interact with provincial government and highlight key issues and legislative processes. Our communities are therefore more enlightened about what my counterparts are doing in other provinces than what we are doing.

We deserve a national platform, we applaud your intentions to establish regional stations on television but we have to address the national platform first.

You need a special plan that seeks to make broadcasting holistic for the Northern Cape.

There is no radio station catering for the needs of the Northern Cape on a wall-to-wall basis, from Kuruman to Noupoort, from Hartswater to Sutherland, or Kimberley to Port Nolloth.

Our people continue to marvel at the Popstars, a programme aimed an unearthing talent in the country. This initiative should reach all communities and provide an equal opportunity.

Our rural communities can only hope that the SABC would reach them one day. Auditions are conducted in other provinces and no attempt has been made to reach the people of this province and develop talent from our province.

Your approach should be all-inclusive. Remember, these communities pay their TV licenses regardless of whether they benefit or not.

We ought to look beyond the economy of scales in pursuance of an all-inclusive policy for Programming, News and Information, Language, Universal Access, Local Content, Accessibility, Religion and Education.

Let the SABC’s future processes assure the Northern Cape that it shall never be treated like a stepchild of South Africa.

The people of the Province are confident that you shall be responsive to the needs of your audiences for the Northern Cape people are an integral part thereof.

This forum must ignite action.

I thank you.

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Northern Cape Provincial Government
6 October 2004