DA'S ATTEMPT TO CONTAMINATE THE SABC BOARD INQUIRY PROCESS
27 January 2017
The ANC in Parliament commends the Ad Hoc Committee on the SABC Board in completing the first phase of its Inquiry into the SABC Board. The Ad Hoc adopted its interim report today which will be sent out to respondents for comment. The report will also be available to the public on the website of Parliament.
We applaud the manner in which this committee has discharged its duties from the beginning of this process and appreciate the diligence, transparency and unity in which this committee has done its work.
We are however disappointed that towards the end of this process, the DA decided to throw it toys out of the cort by walking out of the final session of the meeting after they were defeated on a vote to adopt the report without recommendations. The Committee received legal opinion that it would not be correct for the committee to prejudge people through recommendations without giving them a right of reply. All parties in the committee accepted this legal opinion except the DA. The fact that they decided to stage a walk-out after they were defeated in a democratic vote shows lack of understanding of how democracy functions.
The interest of the ANC remains ensuring that the process continues to be above board, transparent, open, fair and lawful. We will never accept any narrow political agenda from any political party that is intended to tarnish the whole process which has been cooperative, politically impartial and without fear or favour.
The posture of the DA is unfortunate and points to a creeping in of political manipulation whereby DA representatives seem to be under some pressure to advance narrow political instructions of their principals, regardless of how unreasonable and silly they are. We hope they will reflect properly and come back to their senses. Their conduct today seeks to soil what has otherwise been a very mature and cooperative process free of narrow party political interests.
The Committee will resume its work on the 14th and 15th of February where it will consider the comments from respondents and finalise the interim report.
Statement issued by the Study Group on the SABC Board Inquiry, 27 January 2017
