(Subcommittee) MDDA Board vacancies: interviews

Meeting report

[The planning session of this committee meeting was closed to the public]

The Chairperson declared the meeting open.

At the start of each interview, the Chairperson explained that the candidate was appearing before a subcommittee of the Portfolio Committee on Communications to be interviewed to fill a vacancy on the MDDA Board. The reason that the candidate had been shortlisted was because the Committee was looking for someone who could bring change to the MDDA. He set out the interview procedure and described it as a mutually-learning conversation between Members and the candidate. Thereafter there was the introduction of subcommittee members. The candidate was given five minutes to make an introduction which included outlining the candidate’s skills and experience.

Each committee member had five minutes to engage with the candidate. Those five minutes included the question and reply. The Chairperson played a facilitator’s role in the process.

At the end of each interview, the Chairperson indicated that the candidate had adequately responded to all questions and gave the candidate two minutes to make conclusive remarks.

Subsequently, the Chairperson remarked that the interview process had been a mutually learning conversation where Members had also learnt a lot from the candidate. He informed the candidate that the subcommittee’s process was transparent to the public which the candidate was welcome to follow every step of the way. The Committee staff would assist with any administrative enquiries.

Candidate 1: Ms Lizeka Mda
Ms Kubheka (ANC) was glad to see courageous women are prepared to take on these challenges. With the skills and experience that the candidate has described, she asked how those could help the MDDA grow. In particular, how the candidate could help it grow given its budget constraints? As the country approached elections, the MDDA could play a huge role in helping community radio stations to reach out to rural residents.

Ms T Bodlani (DA) asked how the MDDA could be more sustainable in terms of funding sources. She noted that young people used community radio as a training ground and then graduate to a higher level. She asked the candidate to provide strategies to retain young people in the sector so that those community radio stations could retain institutional knowledge.

Ms Bodlani asked how her academic qualification would make a difference to the MDDA.

Ms Bodlani asked the candidate to comment on the future of community media in order to keep pace with the age of digital technology. She asked how MDDA could create that kind of adaptive environment.

Ms Bodlani noted that the candidate described herself as an ethical leader, and that we live in an era filled with misinformation. She asked how MDDA could lead the effort to combat misinformation in the community media space.

Ms Bodlani asked how the candidate would navigate stakeholder engagement on behalf of the MDDA.

Mr R Mdakane (ANC) asked the candidate to elaborate on her experience in dealing directly and indirectly with community radio stations.

Mr Mdakane asked the candidate what the prospects are for community radio stations in South Africa, especially in rural areas and smaller towns.

Mr Mdakane asked for her vision for the MDDA given that it is operating in a fast-changing digital age and communication is the central pillar of any form of development.

Mr L Molala (ANC) noted that the candidate was unfamiliar with the MDDA and community media. But he did acknowledge her extensive experience in the university space.

He asked the candidate to comment on the impact of mobile broadband on community media and the monopoly of the big players in the telecommunication sector.

The media space is influenced by various stakeholders such as profit-making companies, business and political interests. Against that background, he asked the candidate to explain how poorly-resourced community radio stations can survive and be sustainable.

Candidate 2: Ms Carol Maluleke
Ms Kubheka expressed her delight at interviewing such a young candidate. She asked in which ways the candidate would use her skills and experience to contribute to the MDDA growing.

Ms Kubheka asked the candidate to give suggestions on how MDDA could do more across provinces and reach out to rural areas with less available funding. Community radio stations play a huge role in informing those rural communities.

Ms Bodlani noted the candidate’s inexperience in stakeholder management. She asked the candidate to demonstrate her understanding of stakeholder management at MDDA.

Ms Bodlani asked for the candidate’s view on what the main obstacles for community media are that deter its growth to be on a par with commercial broadcasters?

Mr Mdakane asked for the candidate's motivation that compelled her to apply for this position.

Given the candidate’s experience in community radio, he asked her to highlight new fissures in the community media sector in rural areas where the residents are multi-lingual.

Mr Mdakane asked the candidate about the future prospects for community radio stations, if she believed that they would survive or not and to provide reasons.

Mr Molala asked if the candidate thought traditional media still has a role to play in the current media trajectory where the entire media is digitalised. He asked her for the number of community radio stations from where she was from and to give recommendations on which aspects of those stations needed improvement.

Candidate 3: Mr Grant Son
Ms Kubheka asked the candidate in what ways he would use his skills and experience to contribute to the MDDA growing.

Ms Kubheka said that community radio stations play a huge role in informing rural communities. Given the MDDA budget constraints, she asked for the candidate's suggestions on how it could assist community radio stations against the backdrop of large players in the telecommunication sector.

Ms Bodlani asked the candidate's motivation for applying for this position and what he was hoping to achieve.

Ms Bodlani asked what his solution would be to solve the signal distribution cost that was owed to Sentech by community radio stations.

Mr Mdakane asked the candidate how he could open up new prospects for communication in society including radio stations in rural areas.

Given the candidate’s extensive experience, how would he strengthen and increase trust between a community and those who provide radio station services to that community.

Mr Mdakane asked the candidate to identify three main challenges which community radio stations faced.

Mr Molala asked the candidate what collaboration he would propose to sustain community radio stations given that many of them are on the brink of collapse.

He asked the candidate if there was a local radio station where he stayed, what challenges those stations faced and what the solutions are.

Candidate 4: Adv Gabriel Mello
Ms Kubheka asked how the candidate's experience and skills could contribute to the MDDA Board and help MDDA grow to benefit marginalised rural communities.

On its funding model, Ms Kubheka asked the candidate to propose recommendations for MDDA to be financially sustainable.

Ms Kubheka asked for an indication on how the candidate would work with other board members in terms of working relations.

Ms Bodlani noted the candidate’s board experience but she was unsure of his experience in the communication sector.

Ms Bodlani asked the candidate to expand on the legislative amendments that would be necessary to improve the sector’s standing.

Ms Bodlani asked if the candidate could make time for the MDDA because it had serious governance issues that require a huge amount of commitment from its board members. The candidate seemed to be a very busy person.

Given the various board memberships he held, she asked how the candidate had used those spaces to empower community media.

Mr Mdakane asked the candidate if he worked with any community radio stations. If yes, where?

Mr Mdakane asked the candidate to demonstrate his understanding of the environment in which those stations operated since MDDA has to deal with the transformation of media in order to empower the previously disadvantaged.

Mr Mdakane asked the candidate to identify two challenges which community radios and TV faced.

Mr Molala asked what types collaboration the candidate would propose to help sustain community radio stations given that many of them are on the brink of collapse. Community radio stations represented rural populations by holding to the community's language, culture and traditions.

Mr Molala asked if the candidate believed that traditional media still had a role to play in the current media environment.

[Break]

Candidate 5: Ms Marina Clarke
Ms Kubheka asked the candidate what she had delivered at the MDDA as a board member.

She asked the candidate to identify the MDDA's weaknesses that needed to be attended to given the candidate stated that she fought for people living with disabilities.

Given the MDDA budget, Ms Kubheka asked what should be done to improve the MDDA’s current funding model.

Noting the candidate's experience at the MDDA, Ms Bodlani asked what the biggest hindrances were in terms of legislation that resulted in community broadcasters still being in debt to Sentech.

Ms Bodlani pointed to the candidate’s experience in chairing the research board committee and asked what findings could be shared to empower Members in their oversight work.

Mr T Gumbu (ANC) asked the candidate to identify three areas that need to be changed with the MDDA and to explain why those changes were necessary.

Mr Molala was interested in the candidate’s experience in research and community media development. He asked her to expand on community media development in light of the concerns that the Committee had noted during its oversight work.

Mr Molala asked the candidate to elaborate on the accountability challenge in the community media space. Deposits had been paid to a certain account with no clear accountability. The issue goes deeper that the overdue amount owing to Sentech.

Mr Molala asked why community radio stations do not attract investment and partnerships which are crucial to their survival.

The Chairperson asked the candidate as a former board member to outline the roles and responsibilities of the board and the executive as laid out in the legislation. He asked her to comment on the Auditor-General's report of the previous financial year.

Candidate 6: Mr Qondile Khedama
Ms Kubheka asked the candidate what he would bring to MDDA given his skills and experience.

Noting the MDDA funding model, Ms Kubheka asked the candidate to provide solutions for struggling community radio stations.

Ms Bodlani pointed to the candidate’s wealth of experience as a communicator, but it also reveals the candidate’s political ideology. Media independence is important. Given the candidate’s CV and political leaning, how would the candidate not bring in politics as a board member?

Mr Gumbu asked how board members should handle the mismanagement of funds at the MDDA.

Mr Gumbu asked the candidate to comment on the role of community media in the digital age.

Mr Molala was disconnected from the platform before he could ask his question.

Candidate 7: Ms Mosidi Mokgele
Ms Kubheka asked the candidate in what ways she would use her skills and experience to contribute to the MDDA growing.

Ms Kubheka asked how the candidate would work with other board members, such as forming a team to achieve goals or what approach she would take.

On the MDDA funding model, she asked the candidate to provide solutions on how MDDA could be financially sustainable and how more budget could be directed towards rural areas.

Ms Bodlani noted the candidate’s experience in the communication sector but wanted to know more about her community media knowledge and experience. What was the relevant legislation that governed the community media sector and what legislative amendments should be made?

In the candidate’s work experience in financial services, she asked if there was ever a time that she had contributed to the empowerment of community media.

Mr Gumbu asked the candidate what urgent changes were required to be made at the MDDA in addition to its finances.

Mr Molala asked the candidate to analyse the impact of mobile broadband on community media since 70 to 90% of the youth have a mobile device. Further, what is the impact of large corporations such as Netflix on community media?

Based on the candidate’s community radio station work experience, what were her observations on the sustainability of community radio stations. Mr Molala asked her to identify the existing challenges and to propose solutions.

[Break]

Candidate 8: Mr Thembelani Mpakati
Ms Kubheka asked the candidate how his skills and experience could make valuable contributions to the MDDA.

She asked the candidate how he would assist the development and growth of community media because rural areas heavily relied on community media to get information.

Ms Kubheka asked for the candidate's opinion if the MDDA Act should be amended as there are loopholes in the current Act.

Ms N Mazzone (DA) appreciated the candidate’s energy and enthusiasm which he had displayed. She noted the candidate’s opinion that certain sections of the Act are restrictive. According to the MDDA's own annual report, it fell short on achieving its KPIs – one of which is amendments to the Act which the board could not complete due to its instability. She asked for the candidate’s opinion if the MDDA should exist on its own or it should be amalgamated with other entities. Given his legal background, does he think that the MDDA has the required teeth or power to fulfil its mandate?

Mr Gumbu asked the candidate what legal skills he would bring to the MDDA that would assist the agency in moving forward.

Mr Gumbu asked the candidate to demonstrate his understanding of media freedom.

Mr Molala asked the candidate what collaborative partnerships he proposed given the MDDA constrained budget which directly affected community media. Further, there are multiple influences in the media space such as the interests of the private sector and political interests. Given that, how can under-resourced community media survive within such an environment?

Mr Molala asked the candidate to analyse the impact of mobile broadband on community media since 70 to 90% of the youth have a mobile device. Further, what is the impact of large corporations such as Netflix on community media?

Candidate 9: Ms Jayshree Pather
Ms Kubheka noted the candidate’s vast experience, her familiarity with the MDDA and the critical role which she played in the community media space.

She asked what the candidate would bring to the MDDA to assist in the development and growth of community media because rural areas and the most disadvantaged relied heavily on community media to get information.

The Chairperson was briefly disconnected from the platform.

Ms Mazzone asked what input the candidate would give to Parliament to amend the MDDA Act given that it is restrictive and in desperate need of an update. The MDDA Amendment Bill is one of the KPIs which it failed to achieve which also undermined the community media sector. Community media requires diversification in this ever changing and evolving world.

Ms Mazzone asked what MDDA’s approach should be in the age of misinformation as social media platforms are deliberately used for spreading misinformation.

Mr Gumbu asked the candidate what strategies she would propose to address the mismanagement of funds at the MDDA.

Mr Gumbu asked what changes she would bring to the fundraising strategies of the agency.

Mr Molala asked how the candidate if appointed would use community media to facilitate nation building and social cohesion since society is regressing in terms of those two noble concepts.

Mr Molala asked how the candidate would navigate a toxic environment given the various interests in the communications sector. How do under-resourced community radio stations survive in that environment?

Mr Molala asked the candidate to analyse the impact of mobile broadband on community media since 70 to 90% of the youth have a mobile device. How would the candidate’s appointment to the board change that trajectory?

The Chairperson asked the candidate to analyse why there was instability at the MDDA and what she would do to restore stability.

Way forward
The Committee Secretary indicated that his attempts to contact the final interviewee, Ms Hulisani Mushiane, over the past two hours were in vain. The candidate had been notified of the interview and she had spoken to him on the phone to confirm that the interview would take place at 3pm today. The Zoom link had been sent to the candidate.

The Chairperson replied that the committee had timelines which it had to comply with to finalise the process in order to bring stability to the governance of the MDDA. It was assumed that the candidate was no longer available. The Committee appreciated the interest of those candidates who had appeared before the Committee.

The Committee agreed with the Chairperson’s handling of this matter.

The Secretary advised that the House Chairperson had approved the Committee meeting scheduled for 13 October 2023 in which the Members would deliberate on the interview candidates. After that, the Committee would make its recommendations to the House.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting.