SABC suspensions worry minister

2008-05-07 19:42

Johannesburg - Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri expressed "great concern" on Wednesday about the suspension of the SABC CEO Dali Mpofu and head of news Snuki Zikalala.

She said: "All will be done (on the minister's part) to ensure the ability of the SABC to carry out its mandate".

Mpofu was suspended on Wednesday for apparently failing to implement decisions of the board.

His suspension came a day after he suspended Zikalala, the group executive of news and current affairs.

The SABC board on Wednesday appointed commercial enterprises group executive Gabriel Mampone as acting CEO of the corporation.

SABC board chairperson Khanyisile Mkonza told SABC News that Mampone's appointment would ensure everything would be carried out as normal.

"The meetings will happen. If there are events, the events will happen. Nothing will be set back by all of the developments," she said.

Matsepe-Casaburri said she would ensure the SA Broadcasting Corporation would deliver on its 2010 responsibility, perform its role in digital migration and ensure its image did "not suffer further damage".

"We call on all its journalists to remain true to fair reporting and journalistic integrity and impartiality."

SABC staff were asked to carry out their responsibilities to ensure the "stability" of the institution.

The Democratic Alliance said the atmosphere was "thick with conspiracy and political purges" at the SABC.

'Suspension long overdue'

DA communications spokesperson Dene Smuts said it was "impossible" to know the merits of the suspensions and inquiries into Zikalala and Mpofu.

"All that can be usefully said is that allegations should be properly founded, and enquiries fairly handled".

The SA Communist Party said the suspension of Snuki Zikalala was "long overdue".

"His return to the SABC from the government was indeed a farce."

The party said Zikalala had become a huge liability who severely compromised the impartiality and objectivity of SABC news.

However, the party said the way the SABC board retaliated against Mpofu for his "correct action" confirmed that the board was "in cahoots with some of the elements hell-bent on leading the SABC down the drain".

The SACP said the board must resign.

African Christian Democratic Party MP Steve Swart said an independent inquiry headed by a judge should investigate the management crisis at the SABC.

"It is not enough that Mpofu and Zikakala are the only ones being investigated," said Swart.

"The actions surrounding the whole board and management need to be investigated."

The African National Congress Youth League said the suspension of Zikalala and Mpofu was long overdue after they had brought the corporation into disrepute.

"(Zikalala and Mpofu) ran down the SABC like a spaza shop and brought its credibility, image and reputation into disrepute," said the ANCYL.

They said they also wanted the SABC board disbanded and an interim structure put in place.

United Democratic Movement president Bantu Holomisa said the SABC "fracas" illustrated that as long as board members and senior staff were selected for their connections to the ruling party, questions of bias and infighting would always arise.

Holomisa said the infighting at the SABC appeared to be about replacing people perceived by one faction as being loyal to another faction in the ANC.

"This nonsense of appointing people solely on their credentials as ANC 'cadres' must end," he said.

"Surely they have now learnt that it keeps backfiring."

'Irreparable damage'

Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder said the suspension of Zikalala and Mpofu seriously affected the credibility of the corporation.

He said the political change in the ANC from Mbeki to Zuma had rippled to the SABC board and its senior management.

"Everybody is repositioning him- or herself at present and trying to be able to survive in the SABC during the Zuma era."

Mulder said that, in the process, "irreparable damage" was being done to the SABC.

"Political subservient appointments are the surest way to destroy the SABC," he said.

- SAPA