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THE SABC board is expected to announce Gabriel Mampone as its acting Group Chief executive officer until the fate of Dali Mpofu, who was suspended last night, has been determined.

According to highly-placed sources, Mampone, a deputy chief executive in charge of commercial enterprises will be announced late this afternoon.

The source said Mampone had already been spoken to by board chairperson Khanyisile Mkonza and had agreed.

"The announcement will be made shortly. Mampone is the man at the SABC until further notice. He is a solid manager," said the source.

Mampone was previously head of SABC Africa and has also worked as a general manager for sales and marketing. His ascension to the SABC top post, albeit temporarily, comes in the wake of drama that saw the suspension of the SABC?s news division head Snuki Zikalala by Mpofu on Tuesday afternoon. Mpofu was himself suspended a few hours later by the board.

And while media reports have claimed the Zikalala suspension was due to the leaking of a board document, City Press can reveal that this is wrong.

The document in question relates to a labour case involving a former current affairs executive producer for Lesedi FM who was fired last year and whose reinstatement Mpofu wanted Zikalala to effect.

Mpofu's suspension was confirmed by board chairperson Khanyisile Mkonza. While Mpofu was cagey with the details of Zikalala's suspension, so was Mkonza on Mpofu's.

But City Press has established that both suspensions are related to the mooted re-instatement of the controversial radio executive producer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, who has strong links to ANC president Jacob Zuma.

City Press also understands that the ANC caucus in parliament is scheduled to discus the rumpus at the SABC tomorrow.

ANC members of the portfolio committee on communications had last week expressed lack of confidence in the SABC board to discharge its responsibilities, this comes three months after their appointment.

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