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The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has removed one of its news anchors, Juliet Newell, from air after a controversial interview with anti-apartheid activist Dr Mamphela Ramphele sparked backlash over the broadcaster’s coverage of the war in Gaza.
During the interview, Ramphele compared images of starving Palestinians to the Holocaust. Newell pressed her on the analogy, asking: “Do you not see this as provocative?”
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Ramphele responded firmly: “The Holocaust happened, and it will continue to happen in different forms… Do we have to wait for millions to die to call this what it is? If we wait for six million to die, then humanity has no right to call itself human.”
The SABC has taken Juliet Newell off air for the way she interviewed Dr Mamphela Ramphele in this interview. pic.twitter.com/FZMVtuNfXx
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— Izwe Lethu (@LandNoli) August 29, 2025
Her remarks drew widespread support from pro-Palestinian activists — and criticism of the SABC’s handling of the exchange.
Palestine Solidarity Campaign Condemns SABC
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) accused the SABC of biased reporting, censorship, and adopting Israeli talking points.
In an open letter, the organisation said: “It is unacceptable that a public broadcaster would consistently adopt language that mirrors Israeli talking points, using phrases like ‘allegations of genocide’ or ‘according to Gaza health ministry’.”
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The PSC emphasised that the crisis should not be framed as a conflict between equal sides. “This is not a ‘war’, it is a genocide, marked by forced displacement, indiscriminate bombing of civilians and aid workers, and the intentional starvation of Palestinians,” the group wrote.
They further demanded that the broadcaster uphold its ethical mandate: “As a publicly funded institution, SABC has a duty to report with integrity, accuracy, and balance. We call on SABC to accurately describe the situation in Gaza as genocide, provide full coverage of South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel, and stop adopting the framing of foreign governments at the expense of truth.”
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Calls for Integrity in Public Broadcasting
The SABC confirmed that “immediate action” had been taken, stating: “SABC News management took immediate action in line with the SABC’s internal processes, and the presenter in question is currently not scheduled.”
The broadcaster defended its editorial policies, saying they are designed to “build trust with the public” and ensure content reflects its public mandate.
Media justice activist Hassen Lorgat said the broadcaster’s approach was sanitising atrocities. “This approach misleads South Africans and minimises crimes committed against Palestinians,” he argued.
Political analyst Professor Theo Neethling added that the debate remains deeply polarised: “Critics of Israel argue that what has unfolded over the past six decades against Palestinians amounts to a deliberate and systematic holocaust. The opposing camp dismisses this comparison as historically false.”
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