By Doreen Mokgolo
- Jacob Zuma and his party are challenging the SABC in court, arguing that calling the DA-ANC coalition a “Government of National Unity” is misleading and unconstitutional.
- They claim the term excludes key parties like the EFF and MKP, while the SABC defends its neutrality, stating it reports what the government calls itself.
Former president Jacob Zuma and his Umkhonto Wesizwe Party have called on the Gauteng High Court to stop the SABC from referring to the seventh government administration as “Government of National Unity” (GNU) on Monday.
The party deems the term as misleading for millions of viewers who rely on the public broadcaster as a source of news.
They argue that referring to the current DA-ANC coalition as such is unconstitutional, misleading and “a grave misrepresentation, as the coalition intentionally excludes millions of citizens”.
Zuma further linked this to “drawing a parallel to the exclusionary practices of the apartheid regime”.
The GNU was formed after the May elections, when parties failed to win a majority and the ANC only scored 40.18% of national support.
To form a government the ANC invited partners. The GNU currently includes 10 political parties, the ANC, DA, IFP, PA, UDM, VF+, Rise Mzansi, Al Jama-ah, PAC and the Good Party.
Representing Zuma in court, Advocate Dali Mpofu said the EFF and MKP represented 25% of votes during the elections but were excluded from being part of the GNU.
“This was one of the conditions set by the DA during negotiations with the ANC. The DA labelled the inclusion of the two parties to form part of the GNU as a ‘doomsday coalition’.
“The term ‘Government of National Unity’ was only coined after the ANC and DA signed a statement of intent; this is a marriage between the ANC and DA.
“A requirement to form a government of national unity must be that parties represent 85% to 90%,” he said.
Representing the SABC, Advocate Terry Motau argued that the public broadcaster has not broken any editorial rules by referring to the current government as the “GNU”.
“The SABC reports facts neutrally and calls the government what it calls itself. There is no poisoning of the lines; they are not told that there is a GNU or an endorsement that the usage of the term is correct.
“There is also no suppression of alternative views that this is a politically contested term,” he said.
Pictured above: MKP leader Jacob Zuma.
Source: Supplied
