The Communications Spokesperson of the IFP, Ms Suzanne Vos MP, said today the SABCs decision to broadcast live President Thabo Mbeki"s launch of the ANC' election campaign this Sunday must be challenged. Ms Vos said, "This proposed action has, in effect, already sullied the 2004 election process.

When the country's national broadcaster is manipulated for the benefit of the ruling party - a la Zimbabwe - free and fair elections are severely compromised."

Ms Vos added:

"The SABC management and its Board are well aware of IEC regulations regarding party political broadcasting AFTER the date of an election has been announced. It is strictly controlled. To allow the public broadcaster to be so blatantly used for party-political propaganda purposes just prior to the election date being announced and under the guise of "an important speech" is unacceptable.

"The SABC is being turned back into an apartheid-style State broadcaster and the IFP intends to bring this matter before the relevant broadcasting complaints bodies. This is nothing short of an assault on democracy and on multi-party democracy.

"The IFP is now demanding the same opportunity afforded to the ANC to also put its views and party policies and programmes to the same SABC audience when the party launches its National Election Campaign Manifesto at Lindelani Stadium at Ntuzuma Township, Durban, on Sunday January 18.

"The Charter of the SABC demands the equitable treatment of all established political parties and we intend to expect and demand our rights. This development comes soon after the ANC majority in Parliament recently rammed home its highly political choice of new SABC Board members in spite of vehement opposition from both the IFP and the DA. We are now clearly seeing the consequences of these self-serving machinations.

"Each and every new Board member should be asked to publicly state their views on this decision to broadcast live and in its entirety (at vast expense) a party political speech by the President of the ANC. They must not be allowed to hide behind the usual cloak of collective decision-making.

Incoming SABC board chairman, Mr Eddie Funde, was the man in charge of the ANC's party list selection process. Is it merely a matter of natural progression and that he now in charge of the party's election propaganda process? What better vehicle to use than the State broadcaster!

"This must be stopped."