The SABC is refusing to air the Democratic Alliance’s election advertising, the party alleged on Sunday.
“The SABC informed the DA that it has no available slots for political advertisements at this time due to delays in the IEC’s work with respect to the elections,” DA MP and national spokeswoman Phumzile Van Damme said in a statement.
“This is nothing but a poor excuse by the SABC in order to censor the DA’s political advertisement as has become standard during election time,” Van Damme said.
“The DA, and indeed all political parties, are well within their rights to air party political advertisements at this time as the election date has been proclaimed,” she said.
In terms of communications regulator Icasa’s municipal election regulations, political parties are allowed to broadcast political advertisements during the “election period”.
The election period is defined in the regulations as “the period commencing with the date on which the election day is proclaimed”, the DA said.
“The election was proclaimed by the minister of cooperative governance & traditional affairs Des van Rooyen on 23 May. This means that, in terms of the law, South Africa is in election period and political parties are allowed to have their political advertisements broadcast,” Van Damme said.
Watch the DA’s first election ad:
“The commencement of the election period and the right of political parties to air their advertisments has been acknowledged by all other television and radio stations [and] the DA’s advertisments will begin airing tomorrow.
“The SABC is the only broadcaster that refuses to air the DA’s adverts,” she said.
Van Damme said the DA now intends lodging a formal complaint with Icasa to “stave off the SABC’s attempt to abuse its power by attempting to censor the DA and protect the ANC from criticism”. — (c) 2016 NewsCentral Media