Muthambi’s meddling leaves SABC Board without a quorum

24 June 2015

An agenda for tomorrow’s SABC Board Meeting in the DA’s possession indicates that the Board is attempting to take legally binding decisions without a quorum.  

Section 13(10) of the Broadcasting Act states: “Nine members of the Board, which must include the chairperson or the deputy chairperson, will constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Board.” 

The meeting, due to take place tomorrow 25 June, involves only six Board Members and is therefore not legally quorate.

The Board Members are: 

1. Professor M O Maghuve (Chairperson)

2. Ms L T Khumalo (Deputy Chairperson)

3. Mr V G M Mavuso 

4. Mr N M Mhlakaza 

5. Dr K Naidoo 

6. Dr N A Tshidzumba

If you include Executive Board Members, the total comes to eight – still one member shy of the nine-member quorum required. 

They are:

7.  Mr J R Aguma (Chief Financial Officer)

8.  Mr G H Motsoeneng (Chief Operations Officer)

The other attendees are Ms T V Geldenhuys (Company Secretary), Ms L V Bayi (Deputy Company Secretary) and Ms T Dlamini (General Manager: Finance).

The agenda indicates that there are a number of important items on the agenda for approval by the Board. These include the 2015/16 Shareholder Compact, the structure of the 2015/16 Annual Report and the appointment of an Acting CEO and CFO.

The lack of a quorum effectively paralyses the SABC since none of the matters on the agenda can be legally approved.

When Minister Muthambi came into office last year, she promised that the stability of the SABC was at the top of her agenda. Yet, since then, she has done everything in her power to destabilise the SABC.

Consider the following:

On this very day last year, on 24 June 2014, Minister Muthambi announced that a CEO would be in place within three months. Exactly one year has passed and CEO has still not been appointed.

It took Minister Muthambi nine months to notify the Presidency of the resignation of Board Member, Thembinkosi Bonakele, in July 2014. His vacancy has still not been filled.

In January this year, the Minister wrote threatening letters to a number of Board Members. This resulted in the resignation of Bongani Khumalo. His vacancy has not yet been filled.

Since then, the Minister has actively supported the unlawful removal of Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi by the Board. 

If Minister Muthambi had not spent the last year meddling with the SABC Board, it would have a quorum and be in a position to take legally binding decisions. This ineptitude alone should put her at the front of the queue when President Zuma next reshuffles his Cabinet.

Statement issued by Gavin Davis MP, DA Shadow Minister of Communications, June 24 2015