SABC board likely to be dissolved
2013-03-18 18:03
Cape Town - It is likely the SABC board will be
dissolved, communications portfolio committee chairperson Sikhumbuzo Kholwane
announced on Monday.
Kholwane told journalists at Parliament that
Communications Minister Dina Pule would give the committee a report back on
developments at the public broadcaster on Tuesday.
Based on this report, the committee would have to make
one of two decisions.
It could start a process of filling the nine vacancies
left due to the resignation of board members.
"Effectively we are looking at a period of two to
three months to fill the vacancies," said Kholwane.
This would lead to the board not having a quorum, and
being unable to meet for months to approve key decisions at the broadcaster.
The second scenario would be for the committee to
dissolve the board, but under a tight deadline.
"Surely, if the committee says let's dissolve what's
remaining of the board, which will be in line with the act, after the
presentation of the minister... what it means is we must recommend five names
to the president to be able to have an interim board," he said.
The recommendation of five names, followed by a
recommendation to the National Assembly, will have to be done by Tuesday as the
next available house sitting for this to be done is mid-April.
On Monday, President Jacob Zuma accepted the resignations
of most members of the SABC board, including chairperson Ben Ngubane and his
deputy Thami ka Plaatjie.
In the wake of Ngubane and Ka Plaatjie's joint
resignation letter last week, Zuma had received six more and had accepted them
all, presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj said.
The board members who quit were Lumko Mtimde, John
Danana, Cedric Gina, Desmond Golding, Cawe Mahlati, and Noluthando Gosa.
"The president has accepted their resignations and
thanked them for their contribution during their tenure as board members of the
SABC," Maharaj said.
"The president has requested the Minister of
Communications, Ms Dina Pule, to liaise with the National Assembly regarding
the process to fill the vacancies left by the members who have resigned."
The exodus
The exodus followed a row between Ngubane and the board,
reportedly about the tenure of acting chief operating officer Hlaudi
Motsoeneng.
The SABC announced on 26 February that Motsoeneng had
been released as its acting chief operating officer, and would be replaced by
radio news and current affairs head Mike Siluma. Motsoeneng would move back to
his position as group editor of provinces
While Ngubane and KaPlaatjie confirmed by 4 March, that
the decision had been reversed, the board insisted the next day that it had
not.
"The latest resignations render the board inoperable
as only three directors of the 12 have not resigned: Suzanne Vos, Pippa Green
and Claire McNeil," DA communications spokesperson Marian Shinn said.
- SAPA
