The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) has reprimanded TopTV for its renewed application to include 24-hour pornography in its satellite television offering, saying it flies in the face of an agreement the union had with the pay-TV operator.
This comes a year after the union, which is linked to TopTV through its investment arm and TopTV shareholder Kopano Ke Matla, called on the investment company to stop TopTV's pornography drive. Cosatu is Kopano Ke Matla's sole beneficiary.
In an interview with Errol Naidoo of the Family Policy Institute on Friday, Cosatu general secretary Zwelenzima Vavi said that the union previously "got them (TopTV's holding company On Digital Media) to agree" not to pursue the issue of broadcasting pornographic channels further.
Turncoat tactics?
Vavi says TopTV submitted its second application, at the end of last year, "without [Cosatu's] permission" and that the union would not stand for pornographic material - which he says promotes "rotten morals" - on SA's airwaves.
He says TopTV went behind the union's back, especially in light of the fact that the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) last year denied the broadcaster's application to offer a standalone pornography package as a supplementary service to its existing bouquet.
Sounding surprised at TopTV's latest move, Vavi says the union "will have to speak to them". He asserts Cosatu will not be tied to a company that advocates pornography. "We can't have Cosatu's name dragged into ponds. It's not what we want, and society is battling terrible morals and a rape crisis. I am not suggesting that pornography causes rape. This is caused by a dirty mind, whether there is porn or not, [but] research shows all people that do all of these things do so after watching these porn movies."
Public hearings
ICASA will hold public hearings on TopTV's application to launch three 24-hour pornographic channels on 14 March.
Vavi says he was not aware of the upcoming hearings, but that the union would submit an application. "We stand opposed to any introduction of porn, whether it is one minute or one hour or 24-hours, it doesn't' matter. It is rotten morals that we cannot be associated with."
TopTV CEO Eddie Mbalo says the company is willing to listen to conflicting points of view, but also expects "everyone to respect the democratic rights of all South Africans, including those consumers who have expressed an interest in subscribing to such an offering".
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