"Defamatory" film on Mbeki causes a stir

The South African state broadcaster's decision to withdraw a documentary on President Thabo Mbeki has caused a stir.

The documentary, one of nine commissioned by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on prominent South Africans, was scheduled to be telecast on 17 May but was cancelled at the last moment.

Following its decision, the SABC came under fire, with media commentators suggesting that the broadcaster had succumbed to political pressure. In response to the public debate, the SABC held a press conference on Wednesday, when spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said the film had been withheld on the advice of their lawyers, as it contained defamatory statements about Mbeki.

Redi Direko and Ben Cashdan, the independent producers of the film, were slammed by SABC officials at the press conference for commenting on the broadcaster's decision. Direko had reportedly told a local newspaper that pulling the documentary was a case of self-censorship.

Kganyago told IRIN on Thursday that the producers' lawyers had suggested that they make changes to the "defamatory" parts of the film. "We will wait and see, and then take a decision on broadcasting the film." Cashdan told IRIN he was unable to comment.

The Sunday Times, a local weekly newspaper, reported that the few people who had seen the film thought the only possibly contentious part of the documentary was where it explored power struggles in the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The 24-minute film consisted mostly of commentary and discussion of Mbeki's childhood, middle years and rise to power in the ANC.

Hopewell Radebe, secretary-general of the South African National Editors' Forum, said they had been approached by Direko and Cashdan to intervene, and "we are investigating the matter".