Shortlisting of candidates to be interviewed for SABC Board: finalisation

Meeting report

Opening Remarks
The Chairperson read out the apology tendered by Ms J Kilan (COPE) who was unable to attend the meeting.

Thereafter, he explained that the purpose of the meeting was to ratify the 36 SABC Board shortlisted candidates out of the 147 applications received by the task team, and discuss the 2 additional CV’s of Mr Steven Lagat and Mr Mahmood Mia whose CV’s were not processed in time due to administrative backlog. The Committee had consulted the Legal Service’s of Parliament to gauge a better understanding of what procedure it needed to follow, in addressing the administration’s failure in processing both CV’s on time. On the advice received, the Committee decided it would consider shortlisting the names of both candidates. The Chairperson said Mr Steven Lagat did not qualify as a candidate because he was not a South African citizen, which left the committee with the CV of Mr Mahmood Mia, which it needed to discuss and reach a decision on whether it should be considered on the shortlist.

Discussion
Ms S Tsebe (ANC) proposed that the committee consider Mr Mia’s CV. She noted that it was understood Mr Lagat’s CV could not be considered due to his citizenship status but requested that the committee accommodate Mr Mia and increase the shortlisted candidates from 36 to 37. She said on behalf of the ANC and the task team she endorsed the current 36 names already present on the list.

Ms M Shinn (DA) stated that she did not approve extending the shortlist since it was decided that the list would contain a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 36 candidates which they had already reached. She said the CV of Mr Mia highlighted similar qualifications and expertise as other candidates already present on the list, which made it unjustifiable to extend the list.

Ms L Van der Merwe (IFP) agreed with Ms Shinn and stated that the Committee should stick to its maximum limit of 36 candidates, since Mr Mia’s corporate and financial experience were already showcased amongst the shortlisted members.

Mr A Steyn (DA) asked members from the task team to clarify whether adding Mr Mia as an extra candidate on the shortlist was purely based on his original omission due to administrative backlog. He asked whether the task team had extensively evaluated his CV like all 147 candidates before proposing his entry onto the list of shortlisted candidates. He said if Mr Mia’s CV did not qualify his entry onto the shortlist last week, then he need not be considered onto the list simply because his CV was received at a later date.

Ms Tsebe clarified that Mr Mia’s CV was not extensively evaluated in comparison to the 147 CV’s received and therefore his skills should not be discredited. She said that with the shortlisted candidates, many CV’s on the list highlighted similar qualifications to one another which did not give enough reason for Mr Mia’s CV to be discredited.

Mr C Kekana (ANC) stated that Mr Mia’s CV had the possibility of being shortlisted if it was handled on time administratively, by adding him as the 37^th member this would level the playing field by allowing him the opportunity of being treated fairly. Adding a 37^th member to the list did not require further discussion because it was only an extra person, and therefore he was appealing for the acceptance of his CV.

The Chairperson said that the issue was a challenging because the fault rested within the administration, but it was up to the Committee to resolve the matter.

Ms Van der Merwe stated that although she did not agree for the inclusion of a 37^th member to the list, majority dictated otherwise. If the matter was taken to a vote she did not believe the DA would win the fight so she proposed for adding Mr Mia to the list of shortlisted candidates.

Ms Tsebe said she supported Ms Van der Merwe’s decision.

The Chairperson stated Mr Mia would be added to the list of shortlisted candidates increasing it to 37 people who would be called in for interviews.

Mr Steyn asked the task team if it could present the Committee with the full application of the shortlisted candidates. He said he was asking for this document because out of the 147 candidates he found that 3 members did not hold nominations and without any nominations was it not presumed that the applications were incomplete and could not be accepted.

The Chairperson clarified that the closing of applications were finalised in respect to receiving. Within this process, persons who had forwarded incomplete applications would go through a follow up procedure by the administration that would either confirm or request for additional documents. This process was delayed because during the closing period the Committee went for oversight as well as public hearings which took them out of the office for 2 weeks.

The Chairperson proceeded to present the name of the 37 shortlisted candidates, who he clarified were not being listed in terms of preference:

SABC Board Shortlisted Candidates
Candidate No.3              Adv Zola Majavu
Candidate No. 4 Ms Amanda Madikiza    
Candidate No. 10           Ms Claire O’Neil
Candidate No. 12           Mr Darkey Ephraim Afrika
Candidate No. 14           Ms Deborah Angelique Thompson          
Candidate No. 25           Dr Aaron Tshidzumba                
Candidate No. 28           Ms Hope Zinde 
Candidate No. 34           Prof Johannes Jacobus Rossouw           
Candidate No. 37           Ms Kate Skinner           
Candidate No. 39           Mr Krish Naidoo            
Candidate No. 52           Mr Martin Mhlanga        
Candidate No. 54           Ms Merle O’Brien          
Candidate No. 69           Mr Joe Makhafola                      
Candidate No. 70           Mr John Matisson         
Candidate No. 75           Mr Lazaurus Serobe      
Candidate No. 76           Mr Lumko Mtimde         
Candidate No. 82           Mr Paul Serote
Candidate No. 84           Ms Rachel Kadilaas      
Candidate No. 86           Mr Ronnie Lubisi
Candidate No. 92           Mr Thembinkosi King Bonakele  
Candidate No. 96           Ms Charlotte Mampane
Candidate No. 97           Ms Constance Seoposengwe     
Candidate No. 98           Ms Dudusile Ledwaba   
Candidate No. 99           Ms Zandile Ellen Tshabalala       
Candidate No. 101         Ms Leah Khumalo         
Candidate No. 114         Ms Noluthando Gosa                 
Candidate No. 116         Ms Nomvuyo Memory Mhlakaza 
Candidate No. 117         Prof Bongani Khumalo
Candidate No. 118         Prof Mbulaheni Obert Maguvhe   
Candidate No. 120         Prof Thidziambi Sylvia Tshivhase-Phendla           
Candidate No. 121         Mr Mahmood Mia          
Candidate No. 122         Prof William Gumede    
Candidate No. 132         Colonel Sipho Majimbozi           
Candidate No. 136         Prof Theodore Mncedisi Jordan   
Candidate No. 138         Mr Thulani Tshefuta       
Candidate No. 141         Mr Tshilidzi Ratshitanga
Candidate No. 142         Mr Vusumuzi Mavuso

Ms Tsebe, moved for the adoption of the shortlisted candidates

Ms Van der Merwe seconded Ms Tsebe’s proposal

Mr Steyn asked whether the 37 candidates would be vetted in respect to security and qualifications.

The Chairperson said because time was not on their side, the interviewing process and vetting process would have to coincide. He thanked all present members and said on 20 August the new Minister of Communications indicated that he wanted to give members a presentation on his plans. The Committee would proceed with interviewing the shortlisted candidates afterwards. Parliament had given the committee the permission to meet for the entire week, however if a quorum or a voting was required it would have to adjourn and tend to those issues.

The meeting was adjourned.