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Cosatu wants new SABC board
11/02/2008 18:12 - (SA)
Johannesburg - The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) confirmed on Monday that it is considering legal action over the composition of the SABC board, which it believes is not representative of South African society.
"We want the matter referred back to Parliament - we want a new board," said Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven.
Cosatu had not taken a final decision on legal action and still planned to seek legal opinion on the matter.
The union body believed that the composition of the board did not comply with a clause in the Broadcasting Act that specified that a representative of labour should be on the board.
"We have felt for a long time that the SABC is giving poor coverage to labour issues," explained Craven.
He said between half an hour to an hour a day was dedicated to business news but labour was usually only covered if there was a strike.
"He or she (a labour representative) can then talk to the management about the issues they should be covering."
These would include the factors that contribute to a strike, working conditions, casualisation of labour, farm workers and health and safety concerns.
Business Day reported that the Freedom of Expression Institute was also in discussion with lawyers of the board's composition, but an FXI spokesperson was not immediately available to comment on this.
Other organisations to have expressed concern over the matter include Sangoco and the Treatment Action Campaign.
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