MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS RESPONSE TO THE MEDIA REPORT REGARDING THE SABC

The Ministry of Communications has noted media reports regarding developments at the public broadcaster.

The reports seek to paint an adverse picture of discussions and outcomes of a Special General Meeting held between the Ministry of Communications and the Board of directors of the SABC held on 29 June 2011 (see Mail & Guardian report).

Claims of Ministerial interference in the running of the SABC as insinuated in the report are without any basis. The board of directors of the SABC are responsible for decision making with regard to the operations of the corporation, and not the Minister.

The so-called minutes leaked to the media are also not a true reflection of the spirit of discussions and decisions of the meeting. The reports further seem to confuse two unrelated meetings, i.e. The Special General Meeting and a meeting of the board of directors of the SABC that took place subsequent to Special General Meeting which the Minister was not party to.

The Minister convened a general meeting of the Board SABC in terms of the Broadcasting Act of 1999 to amend the Memorandum of Incorporation. In doing so, the Minister issued a notice, as required. The proposed amendments were successfully adopted by the meeting. The Minister who is the shareholder at the SABC was not party to the subsequent meeting of the Board.

Indeed the amendment of clause 19 of the articles of association was a Necessary process and one that dates back to the period of Minister Padayachie's immediate predecessor.

It seeks to give latitude to the board to look beyond executive directors when looking at appointing an Acting GCEO of the SABC.

We reiterate, once more, that the Minister of Communications is alive to the rules of engagement that govern the relationship between the shareholder and the public broadcaster. The Minister will at all times continue to engage matters relating to the public broadcaster, within the existing legal and legislative parameters.

Statement issued by Tiyani Rikhotso, Ministry of Communications, July 8 2011

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter