Snuki Zikalala

Snuki Zikalala is the suspended MD of news and current affairs of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

Early life

Before joining the SABC, Zikalala spent 25 years in journalism and earned numerous awards, including the SA Medical Association's best medical reporter and government's communicator of the year [cite web
url=http://www.littleblackbook.co.za/lbbfacts.asp?lbbName=Zikalala,%20Snuki
title=Personal Fact Sheet
publisher = Business Directory of South Africa
date=October, 2005] .

Education

Zikalala holds a BA Hons (industrial sociology ) from Wits University and an MA and PhD, both in journalism, from Sofia University, Bulgaria [cite web
url=http://www.littleblackbook.co.za/lbbfacts.asp?lbbName=Zikalala,%20Snuki
title=Personal Fact Sheet
publisher = Business Directory of South Africa
date=October, 2005] .

Criticism

Since assuming his current role, Zikalala has attracted criticism for his pro-ANC stance. [cite web
url=http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/opinion.aspx?ID=BD4A216535
title=Obedient SABC seems content to can democracy
publisher = Business Day
date=June 15, 2006] He has been accused of using the publicly funded national broadcaster as a propaganda tool, sparking fears of a return to the days when the apartheid government used it as such. [cite web
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102301311.html
title=South African Broadcaster's Use of Blacklist Stirs Unease
publisher = Washington Post
date=October 24, 2006]

Zikalala blacklisted various independent commentators from appearing on national television, [cite web
url=http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/general/0,2172,136471,00.html
title=SABC inquiry fingers Snuki Zikalala
publisher = SABC News
date=October 11, 2006] [cite web
url=http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=286556&area=/insight/insight__national/
title=Inside the SABC blacklist report
publisher = Mail & Guardian
date=October 13, 2006] and was harshly criticized by an independent commission for doing so. [cite web
url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=13&set_id=1&art_id=iol1162273554993S120
title=SABC blames the print media
publisher = IOL
date=October 31, 2006]

Ironically, Zikalala stated in an address given at Stellenbosch University that "The SABC is not the mouthpiece of the government of the day, nor should it broadcast its opinion of government policies, unless they relate directly to broadcasting matters." [cite web
url=http://academic.sun.ac.za/journalism/news/mediaday_zikalala.pdf
title=Politics, profits and public: Media freedom and television news
publisher = Stellenbosch University
date=May 3, 2005] In the same address he accused Rupert Murdoch's media company of having "an unashamedly neo-liberal agenda".

In an attempt to hit back at the print media, Zikalala oversaw the launching of a program called "In the Public Interest". Zikalala stated that "just as the print criticises us, we will be able to criticise them" [cite web
url=http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=49&fArticleId=3322962
title=SABC's new current affairs programme is blatant propaganda, say critics
publisher = IOL
date=July 4, 2006] . In a response, the Freedom of Expression Institute criticized this move stating that "The SABC is merely the custodian of this public resource. It is inappropriate for the SABC to use a public resource as a platform for individuals in the SABC to settle scores with individuals in other media."

Zikalala has also continually denied the ongoing crisis in Zimbabwe. During an interview with Jeremy Maggs on SAFM he stated that "There is food, it's just very expensive". In the same interview he also said that during his stay at the Sheraton in Harare he had been able to order Johnny Walker Black Label and mineral water and accordingly didn't understand what everyone was on about [cite web
url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Columnists/Marianne_Thamm/0,,2-1630-2147_2100063,00.html
title=Let them ring room service
publisher = News24
date=April 18, 2007] .

On 6 May 2008, Snuki Zikalala was suspended with immediate effect by Dali Mpofu, Group CEO of the SABC, who in turn was suspended by the SABC Board. [cite web
author=Dominic Mahlangu
url=http://blogs.thetimes.co.za/politicallycorrect/2008/05/06/sabc-suspends-snuki-zikalala/
title=SABC suspends Snuki Zikalala
publisher = The Times
date=May, 6 2008] Soon afterwards, Dali Mpofu himself was suspend.

References