Urgent meeting to finalise SABC Interim Board Candidates

Meeting report

The Chairperson said it was decided the day before for the Committee to finalise the list of the interim South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board members as this needed to be submitted to the National Assembly. The Committee Secretary had communicated with the EFF as well as COPE. The EFF indicated that it was not available for this last minute meeting – they requested the meeting be moved to the following day. Nevertheless, the party submitted two names.

The Chairperson outlined that this was the position of the EFF – it was unfortunate that the EFF was not in yesterday’s meeting either. That would not stop the Committee from proceeding with the meeting today.

 Ms N Tolashe (ANC) proposed that the meeting proceed.

Mr M Gugunbele (ANC) said Members were expected to attend yesterday’s meeting. The Members had been given an opportunity and the meeting of yesterday was properly constituted.

The Chairperson said over and above that, Mr Gungubele was correct. Today’s meeting, as agreed on, yesterday was to finalise the names of the SABC interim board members. In the last meeting the names were tabled and it was agreed that from that day there would be negotiations between the political parties as per the final decision. He recalled that the ANC suggestions 8 names, the DA 5 and the smaller parties 4. The EFF has submitted two names via the Committee Secretary. He expected all parties to be ready today for final direction.

Mr M Kalako (ANC) noted that the ANC held consultations – there was conversation with the DA where it was agreed the ANC would propose three of the originally give names suggested. He could not get hold of Mr W Madisha (COPE) to get the name proposed by the smaller parties – Mr Madisha was representing the smaller parties collective. The Chief Whip of the EFF also indicated that the party had a name it wished to put forward. This was a deliberation rather than a negotiation. Since the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the SABC Board Inquiry had been adopted in the House, the Portfolio Committee would have to ensure all the recommendations were implemented. The names which the ANC had proposed for the interim Board were:

Mr Krish Naidoo: human rights lawyer by practice; experience in banking law and financial matters. He worked as a legal adviser with specialisation in admin law. He had previously served on the SABC Board before being removed flimsily.

Ms Febe Potgieter- Gqubule: Masters in Public Development Policy with a very strong sense of governance and policy making. She has worked in many fields which related to her qualifications.

Ms Khanyisile Kweyama: worked in many leadership positions in SA businesses. She had a background in commerce and government

The ANC supported the name proposed by the EFF which was that of Mr Mathatha Tsedu: he was a veteran journalist and well known in the media space. He had a B.A Honours in Journalism and Media Studies and had served as the editor of many newspapers. He would be of assistance to the interim Board.

The Chairperson said those were the three names proposed by the ANC. He clarified that Mr Naidoo had resigned from the last SABC Board in the Committee meeting of 5 October 2016. He asked if the ANC was pleased with the names put forward.

Mr R Tseli (ANC) agreed with and supported the position of the ANC.

 The Chairperson asked if the ANC Members wanted to motivate the names further.

 Mr Gungubele said agreement of the name of Mr Mathatha Tsedu between the ANC and the EFF was a nice coincidence.

Ms N Mazzone (DA) said it might have looked rushed but there was an incredible amount of organisation that went on behind the scenes yesterday afternoon during the sitting of the House. There were serious studies, deliberations and discussions on the names. She agreed that Members deliberated rather than negotiated on the names as it was agreed there would be a process of consensus and that the process should not become a fiasco given the history of the SABC. The approach of the Committee in this regard was the right one – it was incredible to see brave South Africans put their names forward. The DA had extended its thanks to those who put up their hands and had indicated that they would work for the country. The DA wished to put forward the name of Mr John Matisonn. He had a history in South African broadcasting - he was the Chairperson of the Policy Committee of the Independence Board Authority, produced the triple enquiry report which was adopted by the National Assembly, was a South African Correspondent to National Public Radio as well as the international adviser of the electro-media Commission in Afghanistan 2009-2010. He had awards from the National Association of Black Journalists in 1992. He was also the President of the SA Society of Journalists from 1978-1980.

 The Chairperson noted that the biggest problem was not finding the time to talk to the smaller parties as represented by COPE.

 Mr Kalako said Mr Madisha had put down his name in the first meeting as representing the smaller parties but he could not get hold of Mr Madisha for today’s meeting.

 The Chairperson reiterated the fact that the representative of the smaller parties, Mr Madisha, was not able to communicate with the other parties to give a nod of approval or seek further consultation on the names.

Ms Tolashe registered appreciation for the work done behind the scenes and the way the Chairperson steered the ship in appointing the interim board. She appreciated the comments of Ms Mazzone and was disappointed that the expectation of the Committee of Mr Madisha to propose the name agreed to by the smaller parties was not honoured. The Committee should however move forward whether or not the smaller parties proposed a name.

 The Chairperson agreed.

Mr L Mbinda (PAC) did not know how Mr Madisha became the representative of the smaller parties – this arrangement had not been brought to his attention. The PAC, as a smaller party, did have a name that was proposed even though the party had not been consulted by those compiling the names.

 Mr Tseli said Mr Madisha had always been the representative of the smaller parties in the Committee. It was just that Mr Mbinda had joined the Committee in the middle of the term. That may be the reason Mr Mbinda was not aware. The Committee would have to proceed and conclude on this issue. The Committee would have entertained the name if Mr Madisha submitted it. He thought the Committee should move on the names suggested.

 Mr Kalako said he was supporting Mr Tseli to move for the adoption of the list.

The Chairperson said the five names were supported but the unfortunate act was that the smaller parties had not submitted their own name. Be that as it may, the Committee would have to conclude.

Mr Gungubele said he was not coming with a contrary view but he wanted to emphasise that when the Committee dealt with issues of the SABC, there should be a healthy balance between partisanship and bi-partisanship. The Committee had done well in this regard.  In taking the spirit forward, there should be improvement on the limitations of inclusiveness.

The Chairperson said he would release Mr Kalako because he had a meeting to attend at 1pm.The spirit of the Committee was that it should proceed as the interim board needed to be constituted with urgency. The Committee must prepare thoroughly for implementing recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee as adopted by the House – those recommendations were the saviours of SA. The interim board must hit the ground running and for this they needed the support of the Committee. He thanked all parties for agreed on the manner. He was not sure if the Committee or the President decided on the chairperson of the interim board – it needed to find clarity on this matter.

Mr Gungubele said he supported the approach of the Chairperson in seeking clarity because the Committee required certainty.

The Chairperson said the Committee would also consult the Broadcasting Act on this matter. There should certainty and if the need arose, the Committee would come back to decide on it. The Committee would not go back to the House until it was sure of what it should do.

Ms Tolashe said fully agreed. Since there was no longer an Ad Hoc Committee, the contents of the report it produced must be dealt with by the Committee. The Committee should organise a meeting with the SABC and the interim board as a special item on the agenda. The Committee would move step by step with the Minister. The Board would account to the Committee. There should be recommendations in place and a way of holding the hand of the interim board.

 The Chairperson said he would have to close the meeting because the five names had been agreed upon. The Committee would still have to come back to adopt the report of the process before it was tabled before the House. The issue of the appointment of the chairperson of the interim board and the deputy chairperson would be clarified before the report would be adopted next week. Once again, the five names were Mr Krish Naidoo, Mr Mathatha Tsedu, Mr John Matisonn, Ms Febe  Potgieter- Gqubule and Ms Khanyisile  Kweyama. The chairperson and deputy chairperson would be elected from these five. The next meeting of the Committee would reflect on the report and who would be the chairperson and deputy chairperson. This would precede the report to the House next week.

The meeting next week of the committee would be an ordinary one with the one of the agenda itsems being the report on the process of compiling the interim board.

The meeting was adjourned