Communications responds to media reports on removal of SABC Board members

27 May 2015

‘Reinstate SABC board members’ (The New Age; Sowetan; Eye Witness News)

The Ministry of Communications noted with disgust the media reports on the removal of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board members, alleging that the Minister has acted unlawfully in the removal of the board members of the public broadcaster.

First and foremost and most important to note is that the Minister does not participate in board meetings where such decisions are processed, and in this case, in the board meeting where such decisions were taken the Minister neither sat nor participate. The Minister received recommendations of the board and exercise her oversight by amongst others verifying whether the provisions of the governing legislations and instruments outlining the processes have been adhered to.

The Ministry will want to categorically indicate that the Minister is fully adept with the provisions of both the governing legislation and instruments that direct and govern the operations of the Public Broadcaster. Although the Minister of Communications is the sole shareholder as prescribed by the Broadcasting Act No. 4 of 1999 as amended, she does not and will not interfere with SABC board operations and decisions on any matter, since the Minister does not micro-manage the SABC, but only ratifies lawful decisions taken by the board.

The removal of the board members by the SABC Board itself was in accordance with the provisions of Section 71 of the Companies Act No. 71 of 2008 which is the governing legislation applied in conjunction with the Memorandum of Incorporation. The decision of the Board to remove some board members is therefore the decision that the board arrived at following their own internal due process without any alleged interference from the Minister.

In the interest of the people of South Africa, the Minister will support any endeavour by the public broadcaster that will ensure that the public broadcaster is stable and shall effectively and efficiently discharge its mandate. In this case the Minister supported the decision of the board to remove the board members following their due process as she found nothing untoward in the process followed.

Statement issued by Freddy Mamuremi, Department of Communications, May 27 2015