Shortlisting of candidates to fill vacancies on Media Development and Diversity Agency Board

Meeting report

Shortlisting of candidates for vacancies on the Board of the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA)
The Chairperson advised that the Committee Report on the filling of vacant positions on the Board of the MDDA had to be submitted to the National Assembly before 22 November 2012.

The term of office of Ms Gugu Msibi as a member of the board expired on 31 December 2012.  The invitation to the public to nominate persons for appointment to the Board was placed in the print media.  Eight nominations were received.  The Committee had appointed a task team to consider the nominations and to recommend a short-list of three candidates for interview.

Ms M Shinn (DA) reported that the members of the task team had reached agreement on the three short-listed candidates.  The DA supported the nomination of Ms Denise Roodt and Ms Fadiela Ethne Lagadien but had reservations about Mr Robert Dangisa Nkuna. The DA had agreed to the inclusion of Mr Nkuna in the short-list of candidates.

Ms R Morutoa (ANC) confirmed the recommendation of the task team.

The Chairperson read the report of the Committee on the filling of a vacancy on the Board of the MDDA, dated 13 November 2012.  The interviews with the short-listed candidates were scheduled for Thursday, 15 November 2012.

Ms L Van der Merwe (IFP) entered a motion for the adoption of the report.  The motion was seconded by Ms S Tsebe (ANC).

The Chairperson advised that the closing date for nominations for the second vacancy on the Board of the MDDA had been Friday, 9 November 2012.  Copies of the documents supporting the nomination of candidates were circulated to the Members of the Committee on 12 November 2012.  He adjourned the proceedings to allow the Members time to consider the nominations received and to agree on the candidates to be short-listed for interview.

The second vacancy arose when a member of the MDDA Board resigned before completing the full term of office.  The Committee had received eleven nominations for the position.  Four candidates were short-listed for interview: Ms Noxolo Mtana, Ms Noluthando Migogo, Mr Molefe Mokgatle and Ms Rachel Kalidass.  The short-listed candidates would be interviewed on 15 November 2012.

The Chairperson read the Committee report on the filling of the second vacancy.  Ms R Lesoma (ANC) entered the motion for adoption of the report.  The motion was seconded by Ms J Killian (COPE).

Members pointed out that a plenary session of the National Assembly was scheduled for Thursday, 15 November 2012.  Previous experience indicated that the interview process could be lengthy.  Members were concerned that there would not be enough time to conduct the interviews as the process would need to be interrupted to allow Members to attend the session in the House.

After some discussion, the Chairperson agreed to convene the meeting on 15 November 2012 at 8:00.  The proceedings would be interrupted to allow Members to attend the session in the National Assembly during the afternoon.

The meeting was adjourned.