SABC Apologises for Not Broadcasting Afrikaans News, SA Thinks There Are Bigger Issues to Focus on
- The SABC has apologised for failing to broadcast the Afrikaans news bulletin over the weekend of 5 and 6 April
- The state broadcaster blamed a scheduling error for the problem, which infuriated AfriForum
- Many South Africans didn't understand why the broadcaster apologised, saying there were bigger issues
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Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent ten years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism
GAUTENG - The SABC has apologised for failing to broadcast the Afrikaans news bulletin on 5 and 6 April 2025.
The state broadcaster came in for a lot of criticism from AfriForum and the Democratic Alliance after it did not broadcast the news over the weekend. The SABC issued an apology on 8 April, blaming a scheduling error for the problem.
SABC issues a public apology
Following the outcry from the DA and AfriForum, the state broadcaster released a statement to explain the situation.
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“We acknowledge that the bulletin did not air in its regular time slot on Saturday and Sunday, and we confirm that this was a scheduling error. This should not have happened,” the SABC said.
It also rubbished the idea that it would scrap the Afrikaans news. In its statement on 7 April, AfriForum said the SABC was choosing to kill a proverbial goose that was laying golden eggs, as a third of the market was Afrikaans.
“We want to assure the public and our stakeholders that there is no plan or decision to discontinue or deprioritise Afrikaans news,” the SABC stated.
It confirmed that the Afrikaans news bulletin would continue to air as scheduled from Monday to Friday, while the weekend bulletin would also continue in its regular time slot.
Social media users share their thoughts
The SABC’s response drew differing responses on social media, as many South Africans didn’t think it was too big a deal that the bulletin wasn’t aired.
Tsiane Boitumelo said:
“Oh, South Africa, we are busy fighting petty things when trouble is looming.”
Christiaan Vorster stated:
“If I had R1 for every time a government official or department apologised, I’d never have to work again.”
Phambili Khwezi Mema added:
“Don’t apologise. The majority of us didn’t notice🤣.”
Les Lotter claimed:
“They should also apologise for not showing the weather report at the end of the 7 pm news coverage.”
Mai Khloe Daniel asked:
“What are you apologising for exactly 🤣?”
Gamede Sanele stated:
“🤣We live in a very interesting country. I like it.”
Leony Bancroft questioned:
“Why is there so much hatred amongst us? This is so unnecessary. Why don't we all join hands and try and make South Africa a better place to live in?”
What you need to know about the SABC
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is the public broadcaster in South Africa. It was founded in 1936 and it aims to inform, educate and entertain the general public of South Africa. Established under the Broadcasting Act, the SABC operates in line with ICASA regulations and its licence conditions. It currently runs five television channels and 19 radio stations as part of its public broadcasting mandate.
The mission of the SABC is to operate as a high-performing, financially sustainable, and fully digitised national public broadcaster, delivering engaging, informative, educational, and entertaining content across all platforms.
On 17 November 2022, the SABC launched its first Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming service, SABC+. The platform offers free access to the broadcaster’s live TV channels and 19 radio stations. In addition to the free content, SABC+ also features premium paid options through its Amp subscription service.
Over the past years, the SABC has often faced criticism for allegedly failing to uphold its mandate of remaining independent from government influence. But despite criticism, public engagement in the SABC's operations and oversight has grown significantly.
AfriForum and DA demand answers from SABC
Briefly News also reported how AfriForum and the DA were unhappy with the SABC for failing to broadcast the Afrikaans news.
The lobby group and political party demanded answers from the state broadcaster, saying the move was troubling.
South Africans joked that they thought Afrikaners had left for the US and no longer needed the local news.
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Source: Briefly News
