DA to push for thorough public consultation on Broadcasting Amendment Bill

07 March 2016

Tomorrow, the Department of Communications will brief Parliament on the controversial Broadcasting Amendment Bill.

The Bill, introduced in Parliament late last year, will in its current form see the last vestige of independence removed from the SABC, paving the way for it to become a ANC-government propaganda tool under the control of the Minister of Communications by: 

- removing Parliament’s role in the appointment of the SABC’s non-executive board members. The President will now appoint non-executive members of the board on the advice of the Minister, not Parliament. The Minister will be advised by a “nominating committee” she appoints herself; and

- reducing the number of the non-executive board members from 12 to 9 and quorum from 9 to 7 which would mean a smaller board with less room for dissenting opinion.

Given the gravity of this Bill, the DA will push for the Portfolio Committee on Communications to open the Bill up for a wide and extensive public comment process to allow members of the public, civil society, academics, the media and other groups to make written and verbal representations on this Bill. 

Our law is very clear on the importance of public participation. Section 59 of the Constitution specifically provides for it, and the Constitutional Court has established legal precedent directly on point in the Doctors for Life International v Speaker of the National Assembly, case. 

We hope that the ANC members of the committee will not prove allegations to be true that they are under the instruction from Minister Faith Muthambi to rush this bill through Parliament in order to give the ANC full control over the SABC in the lead up to the election. 

It has been rumoured that vacancies on the SABC board have not been filled for over year in order to wait for the bill to be passed, and allow for the Minister to recommend ANC-friendly non-executive board members to the President to be appointed to the SABC board. 

Preventing public consultation from happening, will prove this to be true.

Should the ANC attempt to rush this bill through Parliament, the DA will use every mechanism at its disposal to ensure the independence of our public broadcaster and uphold to the principles espoused in section 32 of the Constitution.

We trust that the committee will agree with us and ensure that a thorough public consultation process on this bill is scheduled. 

Statement issued by Phumzile Van Damme, DA National Spokesperson, 7 March 2016