R2K Statement: SABC finally free of government control

25 June 2018

Last week, the High Court affirmed the independence of the SABC board and therefore prohibited the Minister from having power over the SABC board when it comes to recruiting for executive positions. This dismissal helps bring an end to an era of overt political interference in SABC governance by the Ministry of Communications.

The Right2Know Campaign welcomes the High Court’s dismissal of the Minister of Communication’s bid for leave to appeal Justice Motojane’s October 2017 ruling in favor of the independence of the SABC board. We congratulate SOS, FXI and MMA on the successful advance they have led for the independence of SABC. R2K intervened in the original case against the minister as a friend of the court, represented by the Legal Resources Centre. It is the subsequent decision of October 2017 where the court affirmed the independence of the SABC Board that the Communications minister had sought leave to appeal.

R2K considers this a victory for the country as millions of South Africans depend on the SABC as the national broadcaster for access to credible information and to have independent information that is void of propaganda. We commend the democratic judgement of Justice Motojane on his ruling for independent access to information. R2K hopes that the SABC Board will be responsible enough to uphold the mandate of delivering free and diverse media to the community of South Africa.

Issued by Busi Mtabane, Communicator, R2K, 25 June 2018