The documentary, which looks at traditional initiation practices, was pulled off the air in April this year following objections by Eastern Cape traditional leaders, citing a “standing agreement with SABC” to consult with them before broadcasting culturally sensitive issues.
After viewing the programme the traditional leaders were satisfied with the contents of the insert. They said the SABC could transmit the insert, as it had exercised cultural sensitivity in the final product.
TheMediaOnline previously reported on the issue, when Kganyago said he didn’t “have to guarantee to you or anybody” that the programme would not be changed after consultation with traditional leaders.
At the time, Kganyago denied any agreement with traditional leaders, but said a “commitment” to consult about programmes with “cultural connotations” before broadcast was in place, in order not to offend.
Asked then how this “commitment” – when applied to news programming – would accord with the value of editorial independence, Kganyago said !_LT_EMSpecial Assignment!_LT_/EM was “just an investigative programme”. It didn’t matter if it was a “drama or whatever”, the SABC had made a commitment and it would be “unprofessional not to keep to it”.
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