On Monday, eNCA released a statement addressing the widespread rumours that an interview between JJ Tabane and former President Jacob Zuma would air that evening.
eNCA issues statement on rumours of a Jacob Zuma interview
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The management of eNCA clarified that these rumours were unfounded and that the network had not sanctioned the broadcast of any such interview.
The media company stressed that the timing of the alleged interview was problematic, given its proximity to the upcoming 2024 general elections.
“eNCA cannot advance the interest of any one political party over another,” the statement read.
Broadcasting an interview with a high-profile political figure like Jacob Zuma so close to the election could be seen as giving undue advantage to his party, the MK Party, the eMedia-controlled broadcaster added.
To ensure compliance with regulatory obligations, eNCA decided to cancel all current affairs programmes for the week, including Power to Truth, which JJ Tabane hosts.
The management reiterated that the decision not to air the interview was not influenced by the fact that it involved Zuma.
eNCA stated that the failure to broadcast had nothing to do with Zuma or his political affiliations but was strictly a matter of regulatory compliance and ensuring equitable treatment of all political parties.
“eNCA will be complying with all its regulatory obligations prohibiting it from broadcasting such interviews less than 48 hours before an election. No interviews with anyone representing a political party will be broadcast until after the election. eNCA favours no political party over any other and the failure to broadcast the interview has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that it involved ex-President Zuma and his MK party,” the statement continued.
Despite the clarity, which falls a day after Newzroom Afrika broadcasted an exclusive interview with Zuma, eNCA faced backlash.
Here are some of the reactions we picked:
