Short listing of Candidates for the Boards of the MDDA & SABC; Committee Report on Oversight Visits to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal

Meeting report

The Chairperson and all Members present extended congratulations to Ms Stella Ndabeni (ANC) on her recent appointment as Deputy Minister of Communications.

Short listing of candidates for the Boards of the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)
The Chairperson informed the Committee that the task team established to consider the nominations for the vacant positions on the Boards of the MDDA and the SABC had met earlier in the day.  The task team recommended that a short list of 10 candidates was selected for interview for the two vacancies on the MDDA Board.  A total of 36 nominations were received and one nomination was withdrawn.  A short list of 8 candidates would be selected for interview for the vacancy on the Board of the SABC.

In the selection process, the task team would take into consideration the skills required from Board members that would benefit the organisation the most and the gender equity criteria.  Nomination by a third party was preferable to self-nomination of a candidate.

Ms N Michaels (DA) asked if the MDDA and SABC would advise the Committee on what skills the organisation required.

Ms R Morutoa (ANC) understood that the Committee had considered conducting skills audits of the Boards of public enterprises.

Ms J Killian (COPE) said that the selection of candidates should be guided by the applicable legislation, what skills were retained on the Boards and what was required.

Mr C Kekana (ANC) warned against allowing anyone to put themselves forward as candidates for Board positions.  It was preferable if candidates were nominated by a third party.

Mr N van den Berg (DA) asked the Committee Secretary to list the skills of the current SABC and MDDA Board members, which would allow the Committee to determine what additional skills were required.

Ms Michaels apologised for her absence at the task team meeting.  Notice of the meeting was received late and there was insufficient time to arrange a flight to Cape Town to attend the meeting.  She understood that the task team would meet on Thursday, 3 November 2011.  The other members of the task team were the Chairperson, Ms Morutoa, Ms Killian and Rev K Zondi (IFP).

The Chairperson agreed that the list of current skills on the Boards would be circulated to the Members of the Committee.  The task team would proceed with the process of short listing the candidates as soon as possible.  It might be necessary for the Committee to schedule additional meetings to meet the deadline.

Consideration and adoption of Committee report on the oversight visit to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal
The Chairperson said that most of the issues raised during the Committee’s oversight visit to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal had been addressed.  The draft report had been circulated to the Members of the Committee.  He took the Committee through the draft report.  There were no comments from the Members on the report.

Ms Killian could not support the report as she had been unable to attend the oversight visits.

Ms F Muthambi (ANC) moved for the adoption of the report, without amendment.  The motion was seconded by Ms A Ndlazi (ANC). 

Ms Morutoa commented that the Committee’s reports on its activities were a clear indication of the progress that had been made.  She felt that the Committee had done good work during the year.

Mr Kekana encouraged Members to attend oversight visits, particularly in the rural areas of the country where the progress that was being made could be observed.

The meeting was adjourned.