The SABC’s election show, broadcast live on radio and TV on Sunday evening from the Settlers’ Monument in Grahamstown, was encouraging for a number of reasons – but also somewhat discouraging for other reasons.
The SABC’s election show, broadcast live on radio and TV on Sunday evening from the Settlers’ Monument in Grahamstown, was encouraging for a number of reasons – but also somewhat discouraging for other reasons.
In the first place, it showed that democracy is alive and foot-stompingly well in this country. The Guy Butler Theatre was close to full capacity with hundreds of supporters from the ANC, Cope, the UDM and Azapo, as well as a sprinkling of members of the DA and Mind.
The competing cheers, dancing, singing and booing showed that people are certainly interested in elections, and that there are competing viewpoints on the theme of the debate – which was on how to root out corruption.
The downside of the show was the very obvious fact that a loud hullabaloo receives more media attention than substance. The DA, which is the second-largest political party in the Makana area, was smothered into anonymity by a large contingent of chanting, dancing Azapo supporters, who had obviously been transported in from further reaches of the N2 highway.
It was wonderful that the SABC had decided to come to Grahamstown so the nation could hear and see national issues being discussed at a local level. But was it really at local level? It appears the show organisers had contacted regional party bosses and allocated a certain number of seats per party in the auditorium.
There was little effort put into finding out local perspectives. Why did Azapo, Cope and the UDM have places on the panel, even though they are not represented on the Makana Council?
In the 2006 local elections and the 2009 national elections, Azapo and the UDM received about one percent of the vote each in Makana – yet, judging from their massive presence at the SABC broadcast, it would have been reasonable to conclude that both the parties had enough support to push their representation well into double digits.
There are two reasons for this lopsided appearance in the SABC show. First, it is clear that some parties just do mass-movement-type rallies better than others and, second, it is obvious that some parties are better at bringing in rent-a-supporter than others. The show was also very good for local businesses that print and distribute T-shirts. We are not sure where the hundreds of brand new T-shirts were made, but past experience would suggest that it was not creating jobs in this country.
