SABC Interim Board appointment process

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Communications and Digital Technologies

24 January 2017
Chairperson: Mr C Maxegwena (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

The Committee stressed the urgency of the appointment of an interim SABC Board, with members agreeing to have the Chief Whips Forum come up with names of candidates to fill vacancies created by resignations during the SABC crisis last year.

The Committee was supposed to discuss Mr Thamasanqa Ntenteni’s removal from Media Development and Diversity Agency Board; however this has to be rescheduled as the legal advisors were not ready to brief the Committee on their opinion.

The Committee approved its first term programme.

Meeting report

Opening remarks and Apologies
The Chairperson welcomed everyone in the meeting and mentioned that this would probably be the busiest year as it would be a conference year for some of the political parties like the ANC.

The Committee noted apologies from Ms V Van Dyk (DA), Ms P Van Damme (DA), Mr M Gungubele (ANC) and the Deputy Minister, Ms Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams

Appointment process of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Interim Board
The Chairperson clarified that no names would be discussed in the meeting today. This was contrary to a statement that was reported in the media that the Committee would today be discussing names of the interim Board. It was clear that the Ad Hoc Committee probing the SABC had exposed a lot of key things and these were to be avoided in the appointment of the next Board members. The Committee should be absolutely clear about what was needed in the interim SABC Board. The Committee should be looking for people with qualifications and experience in the areas of broadcasting, law and Human Resource (HR) related experience. It must be made clear that the interim Board should not be in the office for more than six months.

Mr M Kalako (ANC) suggested that each party should bring names of suitable candidates to be in the SABC interim Board, and they would be discussed in the Committee. There is no doubt that there should be urgency in selecting the interim SABC Board. The Committee should go through a thorough process in the appointment of the interim Board as the Chairperson had already pointed out and this was to avoid the recurrence of the problems that had been outlined in the Ad Hoc Committee.  As much as it is critically important to have people with qualifications and experience, we also need to have people who clearly understand the Broadcasting Act and how it is intertwined with the Constitution of South Africa.

Mr J Selfe (DA) agreed that the Committee should be thinking along the lines of appointing fit and proper people to serve in the interim Board. The Committee should also move with urgency in the appointment of the interim Board so as to start the discussion on the suitable candidates by next week.
 
Mr F Shivambu (EFF) suggested that the process of nominations should be done at Chief Whip’s level - this would avoid a lot of names being put forward.

The Chairperson agreed with this proposal.

The Chairperson stated that the Committee was responsible for the finalise names that will be selected to serve on the interim Board. The Committee could utilise this week for political parties to come out with nominations and then next week the Committee could discuss those names that had been nominated. 

Legal Opinion of removal of a member from the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) Board
The Chairperson said the Committee was to discuss the removal of Mr Thamasanqa Ntenteni, who was serving as a Board member. There was no proper decision on the matter from the legal service and the suggestion was that it should finalise the matter and bring it for a briefing to the Committee. The assumption was that the legal service would be done with the matter by now but clearly that was not the case.

Adoption of the Committee Programme
The Chairperson tabled the document for consideration.

The Chairperson suggested that the Committee should find the time to discuss the Broadcasting Amendment Bill, 2016.

The Committee Programme was adopted without amendments.

Adoption of minutes
The Committee adopted minutes of 1 and 15 November 2016 were adopted without amendments.

The meeting was adjourned.

 

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