The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) has dismissed complaints against eNCA and journalist Lindsay Dentlinger regarding the ‘mask/no mask’ debacle.
The BCCSA received dozens of complaints about Dentlinger. This was after video footage emerged of her interviewing politicians after the budget speech, but only asking black people to put their masks on. Only 11 of the complaints met the necessary criteria, one of which was laid by the United Democratic Movement (UDM). The BCCSA found that the request to UDM deputy president, Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, to keep on his mask did not advocate hatred based on race against black people.
It further found that eNCA did not contravene clause 10.3 of the BCCSA’s Code of Conduct on behaviour which advocates hatred. While past injustices have led to sensitivity regarding racial matters, this particular matter was not an advocacy of hatred against black people.
eNCA managing director, Norman Munzhele, said the company was satisfied with the decision. He said eNCA was sorry that Dentlinger’s coverage was perceived to be racist, but confirmed that eNCA’s internal investigation, like the BCCSA’s, found that her behaviour was not racially motivated.
Munzhele said that eNCA remained “committed to providing fair and balanced news, irrespective of race, colour or creed.”