Question NW1201 to the Minister of Communications
05 June 2017 - NW1201
King, Ms C to ask the Minister of Communications
(1)Whether the Chairperson of the Board of the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) has acted (a) on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the MDDA and/or (b) as the CEO of the MDDA in each of the past five financial years; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (i) why in each case and (ii) on which statutory grounds was each such instance based; (2) for how long has the CEO position of the MDDA been vacant; (3) whether the specified person is compensated for the roles of (a) Chairperson of the MDDA Board and (b) CEO; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (i) on what statutory grounds, (ii) what are the terms and (iii) how much in each case; (4) whether, with reference to the reply to question 435 on 30 March 2017, she has found that the position of CEO of the MDDA will be filled by the end of the first quarter of the 2017-18 financial year as anticipated; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what progress has been made in this regard?
Reply:
1. (a) and (b) The Chairperson of the Board of the Media Development and Development Agency (MDDA) has neither (a) acted on behalf of the CEO; nor (b) acted as the CEO of the MDDA in each of the past five financial years.
In the absence of the CEO between 1 March 2017 and 9 May 2017, the Board took a resolution, in the Board meeting of 01 March 2017, that the Chairperson of the Board is to assume the caretaker role over the existing management structure.
After the resignation of the CEO on the 28 February 2017, the Board requested the Minister of Communications via letter dated 2 March 2017 and at the bi-lateral meeting on 5 March 2017 for a secondment from the Department of Communications for an Acting CEO. After a further request to the newly appointed Minister of Communications, Mr Donald Liphoko was seconded to the MDDA as Acting CEO effective from 8 May 2017.
2. The position of CEO has been vacant since 28 February 2017.
3. (a) and (b) This is not applicable as, as stated above, the Chairperson of the Board was not acting as CEO of the MDDA. She therefore has only received compensation as Chairperson and not as CEO.
4. No, the position of the CEO will not be filled by end of Q1 of 2017/2018 as the MDDA currently does not have a quorating Board. The recruitment process has commenced which will be approved by a quorating Board.