EFF welcomes the appointment of the new SABC board

18 April 2023

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) welcomes the appointment of the new board at the South African Broadcasting Co-operation (SABC), after nearly six-months of uncertainty at the public broadcaster.

The SABC remains a critical source of information and entertainment for millions of South Africans, and a benchmark for independence in public broadcasting not only in the country but in the continent. The instability at the SABC over the past few months, due to the indecisiveness of a criminal President, has come to an end after he was exposed for his attempts to undermine Parliament by not appointing a board.

The EFF has been at the forefront of calling out Cyril Ramaphosa's attempts at undermining the National Assembly in the Portfolio Committee of Communications and Digital Technologies, when he asked for an illegal review of the names submitted to him to form the board. His delayed appointment of the Board is yet another submission to legal opinion of his propensity to undermine the rule of law.

The EFF reiterates its reservations on the appointment of Phatiswa Magopeni specifically as a member of the board, after her dismissal as Head of News following acts which put the SABC into disrepute, and years of leading the public broadcaster under a cloud of intimidation, bias and compromise. We will keep a watchful eye on Magopeni and ensure that she does not trample on the ethics that guide the SABC.

The newly appointed board is tasked with growing the SABC as a quality, Pan-African brand, that can unite Africans culturally through entertainment, and through providing accurate and unbiased information of the ongoing successes and challenges confronting the continent.

The EFF wishes the SABC Board well and that they lead the public broadcaster towards new heights, and ensure that the landmark 2024 National and Provincial Elections in South Africa are covered without fear, bias and equally across the political spectrum.

Issued by Sinawo Thambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 18 April 2023