Mail & Guardian reports that the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) has found that public broadcaster SABC’s interview with Robert Gumede, in which he accused Mail & Guardian investigative journalist Sam Sole and businessman John Sterenborg of corruption, breached the broadcasting code.
Sterenborg had complained to the BCCSA, saying that the SABC failed to verify Gumede’s allegations independently prior to broadcasting. In the interview, flighted during a 7pm news bulleting on 3 November 2010, Gumede alleged that Sole was paid R900 by Sterenorg to publish damaging allegations against him.
The SABC told the BCCSA that because it had contacted Mail & Guardian editor Nic Dawes who denied the bribery, it did not see a reason to approach any other parties.
The BBSA held that the SABC had tried to deceive Sterenborg in its communication with him.
