JOHANNESBURG – The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it hopes incoming South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) political editor Dumisani Hlophe will prove it wrong by providing impartial news in the run-up to next year’s elections.
Hlophe will take over the news and current affairs department despite having no journalistic experience except as a political analyst.
He holds a master’s degree in political science and is currently studying towards his PhD in political leadership and state performance.
The DA believes the appointment is worrying considering the inexperience Hlophe has.
The DA’s Phumzile Van Damme said: “We hope Mr Hlophe will prove our misgivings about him wrong and fulfil the SABC’s mandate to be impartial, independent and provide reasonable and balanced news for the public, especially during elections year.”
Van Damme says the SABC’s decision is puzzling and worrying.
“Not only is Mr Hlophe not a practising journalist, he’s only experienced with broadcasting as a political analyst with commentary often odd and thumb-sucked. Mr Hlophe simply does not inspire confidence, he’s in fact bad news for the SABC.”
