SABC board 'unrepresentative'
2007-12-22 16:09
Johannesburg - The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) wants the appointment of the new SABC board referred back to Parliament.
It also wants urgent talks on the matter with the leaders of its tripartite alliance partners, the African National Congress and South African Communist Party, it said in a statement on Saturday.
The new board was unrepresentative of South African society, said Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven.
President Thabo Mbeki announced the appointment of the 12-member board on Saturday just before going on leave.
Old board member Khanyisile Mkhonza was named as chairperson, succeeding Eddie Funde who was nominated and shortlisted but withdrew citing a heavy workload.
Mkhonza will be deputised by controversial lawyer Christina Qunta, a fierce Mbeki supporter and Aids dissident who held the same position on the old board. She had been widely tipped for the top job.
Biased in favour of BEE business
In a statement on Saturday, Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said the new board was biased in favour of black-economic empowerment business.
There was no trade union representation, and none from the media even though a highly respected trade union leader and experienced journalists were shortlisted.
The Broadcasting Act required the inclusion of people with expertise and experience in social and labour issues representing a broad cross-section of the country's population, Craven pointed out.
"Cosatu is... concerned that the new board will not tackle the serious problem of the public broadcaster being used to promote government policies and stifle the views of those with different views, rather than (as) a vehicle for the whole spectrum of opinions.
"A representative board is essential to ensure that the SABC remains a public broadcaster and not a state broadcaster," he said.
- SAPA