In a recent turn of events, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) found itself in hot water after failing to air its Afrikaans news bulletin on all its channels over the weekend. The incident sparked outrage and prompted swift reactions from political parties and the public alike. The SABC has since issued an apology, attributing the mishap to a scheduling error.

"We acknowledge that the bulletin did not air in its regular time slot on Saturday and Sunday, and we confirm that this was a scheduling error. This should not have happened," SABC management stated in a public announcement on Tuesday afternoon. The broadcaster moved quickly to reassure the public, especially Afrikaans-speaking communities, that there were no plans to discontinue Afrikaans news bulletins on its platforms.

"We want to assure the public and our stakeholders that there is no plan or decision to discontinue or deprioritise Afrikaans news. The Afrikaans television news bulletin continues to air as scheduled from Monday to Friday, and the weekend bulletin will also continue in its regular time slot going forward," the statement continued. The SABC further expressed sincere apologies for the disruption, acknowledging the deep concern it caused, particularly among those who felt aggrieved by the error.

The African National Congress (ANC)'s Study Group on Communication and Digital Technologies responded to the situation, welcoming the SABC's corrective measures. Shaik Subrathie, the spokesperson for the study group, stated, "The Afrikaans community is a significant language community, and we accept that the SABC made an error when no Afrikaans news bulletin aired over the past weekend. We look forward to the SABC correcting this oversight."

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) had been quick to condemn the initial mishap. On Monday, DA MP Willie Aucamp voiced strong concerns, demanding answers regarding the bulletin's disappearance. "The sudden disappearance of the Afrikaans news bulletin this past weekend, without any communication from the SABC on the reasons behind this decision, is troubling," Aucamp stated. He further asserted the DA's commitment to holding the SABC accountable and ensuring transparency from the public broadcaster.

Aucamp emphasized the importance of the Afrikaans news bulletin for a significant portion of the population, noting that "For many South Africans, the SABC Nuus on SABC2, which has a devoted audience of over 300,000, has been an essential source of news and information." He criticized the SABC's apparent indifference towards this large segment of the population, especially considering that these viewers contribute through TV licenses. Aucamp concluded by reminding the SABC of its duty to serve all language communities as a public broadcaster.

The SABC's swift apology and clarification aim to mitigate the damage caused by the scheduling error and reaffirm its commitment to serving the diverse linguistic needs of the South African population. The incident underscores the importance of reliable and inclusive broadcasting services in a multilingual society.