CASE NUMBER: 01/2006 – LEBEKO VS SABC RADIO – 5FM – SENIOR CITIZENS

The Registrar received a complaints concerning the comments made on the Joe Mann Show concerning a newspaper article where an elderly Limpopo woman was attacked by a leopard. The presenter remarked that the woman should have been put down and not the leopard. The Tribunal held that referring to the lady as an old “Gogo” was in extremely questionable taste and should be deplored. That she should have been “put down” in stead of the leopard was also remarkably objectionable.  However, given the midnight time slot and the light-hearted nature of the programme, the Tribunal came to the conclusion that the remark was not seriously intended. It is the kind of off-the-cuff remark which should lead to internal reprimand or discussion at the broadcaster. However, the Tribunal believes that to take it further than that would amount to elevating one very questionable remark to a statement seriously intended. Disrespect or hate speech against all senior people, who are explicitly protected in section 9 of the Constitution of the Republic, was most certainly not intended.   Complaint not upheld.