by Thinus Ferreira

The presenter and socio-political commentator Heindrich Wyngaard who is now the chairperson of the lobby group Cape Forum is no longer a host of KN Verslag since the start of April but remains the host of KLOP! on television because kykNET says KLOP! is an a-political talk show.

There’s been growing questions around a perceived conflict of interest as Heindrich Wyngaard continues to be the presenter of a weekly TV programme on DStv, whilst serving as the chairperson of the new lobby group started with the help of the AfriForum lobby group.

Cape Forum in a statement said that the lobby group “will focus, among other things, on promoting community self-reliance in Cape communities and helping to establish growing federalism in the Western Cape and Cape communities”.

“Tax federalism where taxpayers money is largely used locally, will form a core part of the Cape Forum’s action plan.”

Heindrich Wyngaard told CapeTalk in a radio interview that the Cape civil society organisation “is not a coloured AfriForum” and that while the lobby group has AfriForum’s backing, Cape Forum (Kaapse Forum in Afrikaans) doesn’t have the same ideology or agenda.

While Heindrich Wyngaard stepped away as an anchor of the news and actuality show KN Verslag on the kykNET (DStv 144) channel, he remains the host of the KLOP! talk show on the kykNET&kie (DStv 145) channel, with both shows produced by Idea Candy. 

This has left a growing number of kykNET & Kie viewers wondering whether Heindrich Wyngaard is representing or asking questions on behalf of the Cape Forum.

“KLOP!
is an a-political talk show that focuses on personalities and various topics
that are serious and light-hearted. KN Verslag is a current affairs show with
more of a political focus,” Waldimar Pelser, M-Net director for kykNET channels, tells TVwithThinus.

“When Heindrich made kykNET and Idea Candy, the
production company, aware he will be joining Kaapse Forum, the three parties
agreed it would be best to release him from KN Verslag in order to minimise the
risk of a perceived conflict of interest.”

Asked how kykNET viewers are supposed to know that Heindrich Wyngaard is not representing or asking questions on behalf of Cape Forum during KLOP!-episodes, Waldimar Pelser says “When presenting KLOP!, Heindrich’s obligation is to serve the viewers of
kykNET&kie in a professional manner. This is an obligation to which all our
presenters are held”.

kykNET says it believes in editorial independence and that Heindrich Wyngaard’s obligation is to serve the viewers of kykNET&kie in a
professional manner.