SABC celebrates 85 years since establishment

It is exactly 85 years since the establishment of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).

Following the establishment of the organisation on August 1, 1936, the SABC first broadcast services in English and Afrikaans, which were then the country’s official languages.

Broadcasts in languages such as isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sesotho and Setswana then followed in 1940.

The first SABC News radio bulletin went live on the 17th of July 1950.

SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe says, “The SABC is really key in where South Africa is and where South Africa is going. So it’s a very important milestone, 85 years and as employees, we are working with all key stakeholders to ensure that this critical institution of our country is sustainable and financially viable so that 85 years later we can continue to serve the next generation.”

Meanwhile, SABC Group Executive for Radio, Nada Wotshela, has reacted to the public broadcaster’s radio portfolio scooping 20 awards for radio programming at the Radio Awards 2021 ceremony by saying that she’s delighted the SABC is delivering on its mandate.

She says the public broadcaster has a mandate to ensure that all South Africans are provided with high quality educational, informative and entertaining content which is both credible and reliable.

Wotshela says the awards come as the SABC celebrates 85 years of excellence in broadcasting on Sunday.