ATC210901: Interim report of the Portfolio Committee on Communications on the filling of a vacancy in the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Board, dated 1 September 2021

Communications and Digital Technologies

Interim report of the Portfolio Committee on Communications on the filling of a vacancy in the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Board, dated 1 September 2021

 

The Portfolio Committee on Communications (the Committee), having considered the request from the Minster of Communications and Digital Technologies to fill a vacancy in the SABC Board, reports as follows:

A letter dated 22 July 2020 was received from the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies (i) informing the National Assembly of the resignation of Ms Bernedette Muthien from the Board of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and

(ii) requesting the National Assembly to recommend, in accordance with the provisions of the Broadcasting Act, 1999 (Act No 4 of 1999), a suitable candidate to fill the above-mentioned vacancy for the unexpired portion of the period for which the vacating member had been appointed.

The Committee considered the letter from the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies and resolved that the Secretariat should proceed with the process of publishing an advertisement in the media calling for the nomination of persons to fill a vacancy in the SABC Board. The advertisement was published in all eleven South African official languages in two national newspapers, two regional newspapers and seven community media newspapers. Sixty-nine nominations were received.

On 1 September 2021, the Committee met to consider the criteria and skills required to fill the vacancy, and unanimously resolved that the following six candidates be shortlisted for interviews: Mr Mpho Tsedu; Dr Nombeko Mbava; Ms Nalini Maharaj; Ms Barbara Sangweni; Dr Rene Horne and Ms Senamile Masango.

A Subcommittee of the Portfolio Committee on Communications will proceed with the interviews of the shortlisted candidates on Friday, 3 September 2021 and make recommendations to the Committee, which will report to the National Assembly with its recommendations once qualification and security verifications have been concluded.