Snuki Zikalala

Last updated

Snuki Joseph Zikalala is the president of the African National Congress (ANC) Veterans' League in South Africa, [1] and former managing director of news and current affairs of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

Contents

Zikalala is 90th on the ANC national party list in the 2024 South African general election. [2]

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. [3]

Education

Zikalala holds a BA Hons (industrial sociology ) from Wits University and an MA and PhD, both in journalism, from Sofia University, Bulgaria. [3]

Criticism

During his role at the SABC, Zikalala attracted criticism for his pro-ANC stance. [4] He was 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. [5]

Zikalala blacklisted various independent commentators from appearing on national television, [6] [7] and was harshly criticized by an independent commission for doing so. [8]

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". [9] 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". [10] 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 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 Johnnie Walker Black Label and mineral water and accordingly didn't understand what everyone was on about. [11]

On 6 May 2008, Snuki Zikalala was suspended with immediate effect by Dali Mpofu, Group CEO of the SABC. Soon afterwards, Dali Mpofu himself was suspended by the SABC board. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SABC</span> State-owned public broadcaster in South Africa

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is the public broadcaster in South Africa, and provides 19 radio stations (AM/FM) as well as six television broadcasts to the general public. It is one of the largest of South Africa's state-owned enterprises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass media in South Africa</span>

The mass media in South Africa has a large mass media sector and is one of Africa's major media centres. While South Africa's many broadcasters and publications reflect the diversity of the population as a whole, the most commonly used language is English. However, all ten other official languages are represented to some extent or another. Afrikaans is the second most commonly used language, especially in the publishing sector.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevor Ncube</span> Zimbabwean entrepreneur & newspaper publisher (born 1962)

Trevor Vusumuzi Ncube is a Zimbabwean entrepreneur and newspaper publisher now living in South Africa and publishing in both countries. As an editor and publisher, he was a critical voice in media of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen Zille</span> South African politician (born 1951)

Otta Helene Maree, known as Helen Zille, is a South African politician. She has served as the Chairperson of the Federal Council of the Democratic Alliance since 20 October 2019. From 2009 until 2019, she was the Premier of the Western Cape province for two five-year terms, and a member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament. She served as Federal Leader of the Democratic Alliance from 2007 to 2015 and as Mayor of Cape Town from 2006 to 2009.

John Perlman is a radio presenter for 702 in South Africa, where he hosts The Drive Show, a weekday programme between 3 and 6 p.m. Perlman previously hosted "Today with John Perlman" on Kaya FM, and co-hosted AM Live and the After 8 Debate, the flagship morning news, current affairs and talk programmes on the SAfm radio station of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moeletsi Mbeki</span> South African political economist

Moeletsi Goduka Mbeki is a South African political economist and the deputy chairman of the South African Institute of International Affairs, an independent think tank based at the University of the Witwatersrand, and a political analyst for Nedcor Bank. He is a member of the executive council of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) which is based in London. He is the younger brother of former President Thabo Mbeki and son of ANC leader Govan Mbeki. He has been a frequent critic of President Mbeki.

Pierre Francois de Vos is a South African constitutional law scholar. He holds the Claude Leon Foundation Chair in Constitutional Governance at the University of Cape Town. Before taking up that position in July 2009, he taught at the University of the Western Cape. He is popularly known for his blog, Constitutionally Speaking, which he has written since November 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paula Slier</span>

Paula Slier is a South African television, radio and print journalist, news editor, and war correspondent, who is based in the Middle East. She is the Middle East Bureau Chief for RT, and the founder and CEO of Newshound Media International.

<i>The New Age</i> (South African newspaper) 2010–2018 newspaper

The New Age newspaper was a South African national daily newspaper, owned and operated by TNA Media (Pty) Ltd. It was established in June 2010 with its first publication on 6 December 2010. It was later re-branded as Afro Voice in April 2018. Its last edition was published on 29 June 2018.

Zwelakhe Sisulu was a South African black journalist, editor, and newspaper founder. He was president of the Writers' Association of South Africa, which later became the Black Media Workers Association of South Africa, and he led a year-long strike in 1980 for fair wages for black journalists. Under apartheid, he was imprisoned at least three times for his journalism. After apartheid ended, he became the chief executive officer of the South African Broadcast Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economic Freedom Fighters</span> Far-left political party in South Africa

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is a South African communist and black nationalist political party. It was founded by expelled former African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president Julius Malema, and his allies, in 2013. Malema is president of the EFF, heading the Central Command Team, which serves as the central structure of the party. It is currently the forth-largest party in both houses of the Parliament of South Africa. The party is also the official opposition in three of South Africa's nine provincial legislatures.

There is a growing List of social movements in South Africa, amongst these is the youth-led non-partisan InkuluFreeHeid Organisation. The majority of social movements have a particular focus on the housing crisis in urban area while others range from focusing on HIV/AIDS, working conditions, unemployment, access to service delivery and issues of democracy, transparency and accountability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh</span> South African author, musician and activist

Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh is a South African University lecturer, Podcaster, author, musician and activist. Mpofu-Walsh was president of the University of Cape Town Students' Representative Council in 2010. He holds a DPhil in International Relations from the University of Oxford. In September 2017, Mpofu-Walsh published his debut book, Democracy and Delusion: 10 Myths in South African Politics. Along with the book, he released his debut rap album, also titled Democracy and Delusion.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng is the leader of African Content Movement (ACM) who served as the acting Chief operating officer of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) from 2011 to 2013. Motsoeneng was removed from his position as Chief operating officer after it had been found that he lied about his qualifications. After being removed as acting Chief operating officer it was announced that Motsoeneng would move back to his previous position as Group Executive Editor of Provinces and Corporate Affairs of the SABC. In December 2016, the Western Cape High Court ruled that Motsoeneng's appointment as Group Executive was illegal and that he was "not entitled to occupy any position at the SABC". In June 2022 the state capture commission proposed criminal investigations into possible contraventions of the Public Finance Management Act when group CEO Lulama Mokhobo and COO Motsoeneng concluded an SABC agreement with the Gupta owned TNA newspaper. In July 2022 the High Court dismissed Motsoeneng's bid to appeal the repayment, with interest, of R11.5 million obtained unlawfully when the SABC concluded a deal with MultiChoice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dali Mpofu</span> South African lawyer and politician

Daluxolo Christopher Mpofu is a South African lawyer, politician, and former businessman who was the National Chairperson of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) from 2014 to 2019. He served on the Judicial Service Commission from 2017 to 2022 and formerly served as chief executive officer of the South African Broadcasting Corporation from 2005 to 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sihle Zikalala</span> South African politician

Sihle Zikalala is a South African politician from KwaZulu-Natal who has been the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure and a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa since 2023, representing the African National Congress. Before his redeployment to the national government, he had been the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal and a Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nomusa Dube-Ncube</span> South African politician

Nomusa Dube-Ncube is a South African politician and former diplomat who was the 9th Premier of KwaZulu-Natal from August 2022 to June 2024. A member of the African National Congress, she is the first woman to hold the office. She was succeeded by Thami Ntuli.

Mbalenhle Cleopatra Frazer, commonly known as Mbali Frazer, is a South African politician and former educator who has been KwaZulu-Natal's Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Education since August 2022. She has served in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature as an African National Congress MPL since 2014. Frazer was elected deputy provincial chairperson of the African National Congress Women's League in August 2023.

The African National Congress Veterans' League (ANCVL) is an auxiliary political organisation of the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa. Its members are ANC veterans, defined as people aged 60 or older who have belonged to the ANC for at least 40 years. The league was founded in December 2009 to represent veterans in the decision-making of the mainstream ANC. Since October 2017, its president has been Snuki Zikalala; Nelson Mandela was its honorary life president.

References

  1. ↑ "Next ANC Leader must not have Smallanyana Skeletons". Eyewitness News. 16 October 2017.
  2. ↑ admin. "ANC Candidate(s) List [2024] – ANC" . Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Personal Fact Sheet". Business Directory of South Africa. October 2005.
  4. ↑ "Obedient SABC seems content to can democracy". Business Day. 15 June 2006.
  5. ↑ Timberg, Craig (24 October 2006). "South African Broadcaster's Use of Blacklist Stirs Unease". The Washington Post. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  6. ↑ "SABC inquiry fingers Snuki Zikalala". SABC News. 11 October 2006.
  7. ↑ "Inside the SABC blacklist report". Mail & Guardian. 13 October 2006.
  8. ↑ "SABC blames the print media". IOL. 31 October 2006.
  9. ↑ "Politics, profits and public: Media freedom and television news" (PDF). Stellenbosch University. 3 May 2005.
  10. ↑ "SABC's new current affairs programme is blatant propaganda, say critics". IOL. 4 July 2006.
  11. ↑ "Let them ring room service". News24. 18 April 2007.
  12. ↑ Dominic Mahlangu (6 May 2008). "SABC suspends Snuki Zikalala". The Times.


Africa icon.svg Crystal personal.svg

This article about an African journalist is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.