Question NW800 to the Minister of Communications
04 August 2015 - NW800
Kwankwa, Mr NL to ask the Minister of Communications
(1) With reference to the funeral of the late multi-award winning traditional music presenter (name furnished) of uMhlobo Wenene FM under the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), what (a) procedure and (b) criteria is used by (i) her department and (ii) SABC to decide which funerals to broadcast live and/or cover widely;
Reply:
It is the prerogative of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on State Funerals, together with the Presidency, to declare the status of funerals, whether they are national or provincial.
The SABC is then obliged to follow the broadcast coverage, as prescribed in the regulations pertaining to official funerals.
Irrespective of the individual (or public appeal or popularity), the broadcast parameters are clearly stipulated in the regulations.
Whether a funeral is covered “live” or not, is not at the discretion of the SABC, but what is dictated in the regulations.
In the case in question, the deceased was neither honoured with a State or Provincial funeral status.
The SABC did however cover the announcement of his death widely on all our platforms. Television and radio carried extensive obituaries. All the memorial services were covered in all the news bulletins as was the actual funeral.
MR N MUNZHELELE
[ACTING] DIRECTOR GENERAL
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS
DATE:
MS AF MUTHAMBI, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS
DATE: