Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) Amendment Bill [B18-2013]: deliberations; Shortlisting of candidates to be interviewed for vacancy on Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) Board

Meeting report

Opening Remarks
The Chairperson stated that the Committee had two issues to deal with. First, the Committee would consider the amendments to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) Amendment Bill in terms of the wording clauses so as to ensure that what was previously adopted by the Committee would appear in the Bill. Second, the Committee would deal with the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) Board short-listing.

The Chairperson noted that various members of the Committee had taken ill and that some Members had been hospitalised. Mr G Schneeman (ANC) had been hospitalised and was admitted into an intensive care unit. Ms R Morutoa (ANC) had been admitted to hospital the night before. She was discharged but was under medical attention.  He said though Ms W Newhoudt-Druchen (ANC) was present, she had received two injections in her arm earlier in the day.

Briefing on the ICASA Amendment Bills
The Chairperson said the Committee would look into the ICASA Amendment Bills B18C-2013 and B18D-2013 and compare the wording so as to confirm whether the same wording was used in both drafts. He said if the wording was correct that the Committee would be satisfied with the amendment, and would sign it off so that it would be able to go through its other processes.

The Committee then examined clause 6. The Chairperson proposed that clause 6 was to be noted as having had been rejected, amended by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), and agreed to by the Portfolio Committee on Communications.

The Chairperson asked whether the Committee were satisfied with clause 9 of the drafts. The Committee confirmed their satisfaction with Clause 9.

The Committee then accepted the amendments as they were proposed by the NCOP to the ICASA Amendment Bill.

Shortlisting of candidates to be interviewed for vacancy on Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) Board
The Chairperson said with regard to the MDDA short-listing, the caucuses were too long. He noted that some of the Members had expressed that they had not had the opportunity to examine the Curriculum Vitaes (CV) of all the candidates and that they had only had an opportunity to deal with the abridged versions. The Chairperson stated that it would be better to afford the members with an opportunity to go through the CV’s which might speed up the processes. The Chairperson proposed that the finalisation of the candidates be deferred to Tuesday, 4 March 2014. This finalisation would be an item to be considered before the SABC board candidates would be considered.

Ms M Shinn (DA) stated that the Chairperson’s proposal was reasonable in the light of the absence of many committee members. She further proposed that the Committee have an earlier start to its meeting scheduled for 4 March 2014. She proposed 9am. She noted that it would afford the members an opportunity to consider the documentation regarding the candidates.  

Mr A Steyn (DA) seconded Ms Shinn’s proposal with the proviso that all members were informed that the meeting would begin at 9am.

Ms W Newhoudt-Druchen (ANC) supported the recommendation and added that some things may happen which were beyond the control of members and that patience ought to be exercised in that regard.

The Chairperson said the meeting was to begin at 09:30am. He added that the Committee would first short-list its candidates before interviewing the candidates for the SABC post. He added that, with regard to the questions to be asked by the Committee to the candidate, Members were to be confined to a reasonable time to ask questions to the candidates so that members would not speak more than the candidate. He added that if the MDDA candidates were finalised by 4 March 2014 that the interviews for the post would possibly take place on 6 or 7 March 2014. 

The meeting was adjourned.