Communications minister Faith Muthambi, who reportedly enjoys the strong backing of President Jacob Zuma, on Monday snubbed a meeting with the ANC at which she was expected to account for the mess at the SABC.

The Sowetan reported on Tuesday that Muthambi didn’t pitch at the meeting, convened by the ANC’s communication subcommittee, headed by Jackson Mthembu.

The newspaper quoted Mthembu as saying that the matter was now being escalated and communication about it would be handled by ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe.

Mthembu, who is also the ANC’s chief whip in parliament, last week described the SABC’s current leadership as “ lacking”.

Muthambi’s failure to attend the scheduled meeting comes as the SABC vows to fight a ruling by communications regulator Icasa that it must not censor the news by not showing images of the destruction of public property during violent protests.

The broadcaster said it would consult its lawyers.

“We will take this matter to review — what we are not going to do is to retract the decision; retracting means you accept the ruling,” a defiant SABC chairman, Obert Maguvhe, told reporters in Johannesburg.

Freedom of speech and information doesn’t mean the SABC should expose children to visuals that would see them become “hooligans and irresponsible citizens”, Maguvhe said.

The broadcaster has come under fire from civil rights groups, opposition parties and many of its own journalists after its management banned the screening of footage of protesters destroying property because it didn’t want to encourage violence.

Icasa told the broadcaster Monday it will recommend punitive measures if the SABC doesn’t withdraw its decision.