ANC denies request for Unusual Parliamentary Meeting to discuss SABC chaos 

03 July 2016

The DA has received a response from the ANC's Cedric Frolick, Parliament's Chair of Chairs, declining our request for an Unusual Meeting of the Portfolio Committee of Communications. 

Last week, the DA requested a meeting in terms of National Assembly (NA) Rule 223 to have the SABC board, COO Hlaudi Motsoeneneg, and Communications Minister, Faith Muthambi appear in Parliament to answer for the chaos at the SABC. 

The Rule allows for parliamentary committees to meet when Parliament is not in session to discuss urgent matters of national importance. 

We wrote to the ANC Chief Whip, Jackson Mthembu, who passed the matter to Frolick, who declined the request and indicated that a meeting can only take place only after the election.

This is deeply ironic given that, as reported in the Sunday Times today, the ANC has indicated that it is committed to investigating the chaos and censorship at the SABC.

It is now clear for all to see that the ANC is not serious at all about restoring the credibility of the public broadcaster, and the claim of commitment to investigate, is merely a ploy to pull the wool over the publics’ eyes and South Africa's media fraternity. 

The truth is that Mr Motsoeneng was deployed to the SABC to do the ANC’s bidding during an election where the ANC stands to lose major support. Waiting until after the election stands to serve the ANC.

The ANC wants Minister Muthambi and the SABC Board to investigate Motsoeneng because they know it will be another whitewash. Minister Muthambi and Prof Maghuve are staunch supporters of Mr Motsieneng and have promoted and protected him at every opportunity.

We give the ANC in Parliament one more chance to fix this matter and convene a meeting of the Communications Committee, or face being in dereliction of its constitutional duties to conduct oversight over the SABC. 

This simply cannot wait until after the election. The problems at the SABC are now, and need to the fixed now. 

Statement issued by Phumzile Van Damme MP, DA Shadow Minister of Communications, 3 July 2016