All silent on the ANC front regarding filling of SABC board vacancies

Note to Editors: Find attached a soundbite from the DA Shadow Minister of Communications, Phumzile Van Damme MP

Despite an undertaking by the Portfolio Committee of Communications last year that the process of filling the 8 vacancies would begin in early January 2019, this has not happened.

I wrote to the Chairperson of the committee, Dr. Hlengiwe Mkhize twice, first on 13 January 2019 and again on 15 January requesting an update on the dates set for beginning the process of filling the vacancies and have received no response from the Chairperson or the members of the ANC serving on the committee.

In November last year, given the urgency of filling the vacancies on the SABC board, the committee resolved that the process of filling the vacancies would begin in mid-January with shortlisting of candidates and interviews in late January.

Currently, the SABC board is inquorate, a high-risk position for the public broadcaster to be in as it faces staff retrenchment and a cash flow crisis.

It should be all hands on deck, with a full board with the best minds working to steer the SABC to calm waters.

It is clear that the filling of the 8 vacancies on the SABC board is not a matter of priority for the ANC, as it has claimed.

We trust that the ANC will now stop hiding and hoping the situation will go away by ignoring it. The DA will keep the pressure on.

The DA stands firmly against the appointment of an interim board. The process for the appointment of an interim board is not as rigorous and open as it is for a permanent board, political parties simply bring names forward and an interim board is constituted.

Going into an election, this would allow the ANC space to insert individuals onto the SABC board who would be at the beck-and-call of Luthuli House. The DA wants an independent board, interviewed and appointed in a process fully open the public, and candidates’ qualifications, independence and experience thoroughly assessed.

The SABC board shortlisting, interviewing and approval by the National Assembly of permanent SABC board must happen as a matter of high urgency, and the DA will not rest until this is done.

Statement issued by Phumzile Van Damme MP, DA Shadow Minister of Communications, 20 January 2019