SABC Board Interviews

COMMUNICATIONS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
31 August 2007
SABC BOARD INTERVIEWS

Acting Chairperson: Mr G Oliphant (ANC)

Documents handed out:
None

Audio recording of meeting [Part 1] & [Part 2]

SUMMARY
The Chairperson mentioned that by next week Wednesday the Committee should be finished with the interviews. He stated that Mr Eddie Funde had withdrawn his nomination. There were three nominees interviewed since the fourth one had withdrawn. The interviewees were Ms Mohlala, Ms Green and Ms Mkhonza.

All Candidates were asked to introduce themselves and indicate why they were seeking appointment to the Board. Members called for comment on the possible conflict of interest arising either by reason of their work in the communications sector or from party political affiliations. Candidates were asked to address the particular contributions or value they could add to the Board, and to give suggestions for rectifying any current difficulties or mistakes, their approach to rebuilding the reputation of the public broadcaster, the current status of the SABC.  Members were concerned about the candidates’ relations with the SABC as a public broadcaster, their views on the role and function of a public broadcaster, and what suggestions they would make for changes to various aspects of the board and its work. Members were also asked how they would attempt to rectify mistakes or rebuild the reputation. Other questions were asked around the coverage of certain events and parties, how the three women candidates saw their role as increasing representation by young black women, the Commission of Enquiry, and the situation at the Sea Point offices,

MINUTES
Interview: Ms Mamedupi Mohlala

The Chairperson requested the candidate to provide a brief introduction and why she would like to be considered for appointment to the SABC Board.

Ms Mohlala highlighted her educational background. She opened her own legal practice where she functioned as a consultant for various Departments including Communications where she became experienced in telecommunications and communications law. She participated in the licensing of Sentech in relation to international gateway licence. She was involved in amendments of the Telecommunications Act and was a councillor at Independent Communications Authority of South African (ICASA) where she focused on licensing in the telecommunications sector. She then stated the various board activities she had been involved in. She believed that she had experience and qualifications. She had experience in media law and labour relations. She was black, female and young, and was representative of all three sectors. She believed her convergence environment experience would assist the Board. Her experience in satellite news gathering would advance the objectives of the SABC and she could add value to the move from analogue to digital.

Ms S Vos (IFP) asked when enough would be enough seeing that she was newly resigned from ICASA and had just been appointed as Adjudicator of Pension Funds. She was concerned that the candidate might not have sufficient time to serve on the Board.

Ms Vos wondered how the candidate would address the perceptions that SABC was politically biased towards the ANC, yet she had a strong link to the ANC since her parents were in exile

Ms Vos followed up on Ms Mohlala’s comment that she was a young black women,  and asked how she would contribute to the Board in this regard and in ensuring young black women were recognised in the media.

Ms Vos referred to exit interviews that the Portfolio Committee had with ICASA members, which were critical of Ms Mohlala‘s management style, interpersonal relationships and temperament, and requested her response.

The Acting Chairperson clarified that political office bearers were not disqualified according to the law but the Committee would have to consider whether this might carry the danger of bias. The Chairperson mentioned that the candidate said she had enough time because she did not have a family yet. He said that the Committee would not like to deprive her of this opportunity and she should think about this carefully.

The Acting Chairperson wondered, if Ms Mohlala were to be appointed, whether she would not leave mid term, as she had left ICASA, and requested assurance that it would not happen again. 

The Acting Chairperson referred to ICASA being bound by the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). During her term of office ICASA had received a qualified audit report. SABC would be subjected to the same conditions. He asked how she would ensure that SABC did not receive a qualified report. 

Mr R Pieterse (ANC) asked why ICASA gave SABC a licence for two more channels without increasing the footprint, whilst being aware that SABC would have problems in fitting those two channels on the current foot print. Mr Pieterse then asked how Ms Mohlala would address this issue if she were to be appointed to the Board.  

Ms D Smuts (DA) wondered if Ms Mohlala was not overstating her usefulness on her technical experience she would bring to the SABC Board, since she said the public broadcaster would compete in the converging environment. Ms Smuts further mentioned that there were a number of good candidates who were regulators, who were steeped in broadcasting,  whereas her experience had been in telecommunications. She asked what she  could bring to the Board that would be unique. 

Ms Smuts asked why the candidate spoke as if Sentech was part of the SABC and why should they want a network.

Mr K Khumalo (ANC) asked Ms Mohlala whether or not she understood the SABC mandate.

Mr Khumalo asked Ms Mohlala what the current funding model was at SABC and if it would be able to achieve its mandate. If not he asked what model should the broadcaster use.

Mr Khumalo mentioned that SABC had had bad publicity. The Board members were affected negatively and reputations were ruined. He asked if she did not fear that this might affect her own reputation or her role as pension fund adjudicator.

The Acting Chairperson requested a breakdown in percentages of the SABC’s current funding model.

Ms C Nkuna (ANC) asked what impact the candidate would make if nominated to the Board, concerning the eleven official languages not currently being used across the board, and concerning the influence of advertisers. She asked how the candidate would push to ensure that every citizen in South Africa would be able to hear his or her language broadcasted nationally.

Ms Nkuna was concerned about the local stations advertising in a eurocentric manner and wondered how the public broadcaster could change this image.

Ms Nkuna asked how to harmonise the adverts and feelings of the community being disrupted.

Ms L Yengeni (ANC) asked, if the candidate were to be appointed to the Board, what her contribution would be in relation to perception that SABC was biased. Looking at weaknesses and strengths of the SABC, how would she rectify the perceptions about the SABC.

Interview: Ms Philippa Mary Green

The Chairperson requested the candidate to provide a brief introduction of herself and why she would like to be appointed to serve on the SABC Board.

Ms Philippa Green outlined her journalism background,  where she worked for the Argus and covered resistance movements in a highly political environment. She believed in showing integrity and boldness, which were lacking during during the apartheid times when she was a journalist. Ms Green explained her international education that related to journalism, and noted that when she returned she worked for various magazines. She worked in Parliament as a political editor and was Head of Radio News at the SABC, which she rebuilt. Ms Green mentioned that they broadcasted news and current affairs in two Indigenous San languages Khoe and Kwe. 

Ms Smuts referred to the allegations of bias against the public broadcaster; the only objective measurement was the Commission of Enquiry on blacklisting, where there had been exclusion of some commentators. She referred to the letter of objection that the candidate wrote to the SABC and asked why the candidate left the SABC or other journalists that left.

Ms Smuts requested the candidate to provide a categorical view of political bias or censorship practised at the SABC.

Ms Smuts referred to the camera footage, which in her view was showing a defensive footage favouring the Health Minister, and asked if there was a systematic relationship with Cabinet or the ruling party. 

The Acting Chairperson requested the candidate’s view on the commercial and political interference on the public broadcaster. 

Mr Pieterse mentioned the eurocentric view of the SABC, and asked how, in developing South Africa where most black people were moving towards the middle class, she would describe the South African versus European view.

Mr Pieterse referred to the funding model, saying that as advertisers paid more they became more influential. He asked if the funding model were to move to the State, was there a danger that the State would want ownership, and so move away from the notion of a public broadcaster.

Ms Nkuna asked the candidate, if she were to be nominated on the SABC Board and there were issues she were uncomfortable with, would she raise those.

Ms Nkuna asked the candidate if she was in a situation where she had a story that was not published, how she would respond, and if she would comment on the links to freedom of expression and right to dignity.

The Acting Chairperson requested clarification that if Ms Green would be appointed as a board member, and there was something she did not like in management, how would she address it without being involved in micro-management. .

Ms Vos referred to the candidate’s history as editor of radio and political news. She asked what her views had been on the changes from state to public broadcaster, and asked if she had noted changes more recently as well.

Ms Vos referred to the candidate’s quotation  in a publication where she alleged the broadcaster showed favour towards the ruling party and requested comment on that. 

Ms Vos referred to quotes by newspapers on the SABC links to bias and propaganda. She asked how the candidate could assist in rectifying the public perceptions, and reports commissioned on blacklisting.

The Chairperson requested the candidate to provide a profile of the public broadcaster and her concluding remarks.

Interview: Ms Khanyisiwe Mkhonza

The Chairperson requested the candidate to introduce herself and why she would like to be re-appointed to serve on the SABC Board.

Ms Mkhonza responded by pointing the need for more women to serve on the Board since it was a highly masculine environment both in approach and application processes. She outlined her experience in both community and public media. Ms Mkhonza mentioned that she had been in the background at SABC where she paid attention to detail. She was strong in driving local content provision.

The Acting Chairperson mentioned that both Ms Mkhonza and Mr Mtimde,  the Chairperson and CEO of MDDA, wanted to serve on the SABC. He requested assistance on who to appoint or reject and how that would affect her role at the MDDA.

The Acting Chairperson referred to the financial matters to be taken up with Board, mentioning that to him it was a non-threatening matter.

Mr Khumalo referred to the corporation’s negative publicity and asked how the Board should try and address these issues.

Mr Khumalo provided a comparative analysis on the funding model. In India they were licence free, in that income depended on commercial revenue; in New Zealand there was state funding, where the licensing fee was abolished; and in other countries it was a hybrid model.. He asked what suitable model should be used by the public broadcaster, and their mandate.

Mr Khumalo referred to a number of poor decisions, which he thought included the blacklisting report, and asked the kind of vision the broadcaster should provide for the country.

Ms Vos requested clarity of the candidate’s statement that she was a "background" person on the Board, yet she had chaired a committee. She asked what her active role was on the Board. 

Ms Vos asked if the candidate thought the Board had dealt sufficiently with the Commission of Enquiry on blacklisting.

Ms Vos referred to the allegations on the Sea Point office and asked if the Board had dealt with this matter.

Ms Vos asked how Ms Mkhonza exercised the qualities of being black, women and young as Board member. Ms Vos asked the candidate if she identified herself to issues dealing with youth. She asked who dealt with issues relating to women, particularly black women, and her views on that being a criteria, and how they would take that forward on the Board.

Mr Pieterse requested the candidate’s comment around Eurocentric and South African content, in relation to the movement to the middle class by many black people. 

Mr Pieterse asked if the candidate thought the broadcaster should be fully funded by the state.

The Chairperson requested the candidate to provide her concluding remarks.

The meeting was adjourned.