Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee on the SABC Board 

15 November 2016

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip notes today’s meeting of the parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee established to conduct an inquiry into the fitness of the SABC Board to hold office. 

The ad hoc committee elected ANC MP Vincent Smith as its chairperson and approved its programme of action, which will direct its work in the coming weeks. The committee has committed to work overtime, including weekends, to ensure that it gets to the bottom of the dire situation at the SABC and report its recommendations to the House by 17 February 2017. 

As the ad hoc committee officially began its work today, media reports surfaced over the weekend regarding alleged attacks and intimidation of journalists and other possible witnesses scheduled to testify at the inquiry. We condemn such acts of criminality and welcome the ad hoc committee’s commitment to engage law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of these witnesses. The intimidation of journalists and other witnesses is unacceptable and, as the employer, the SABC ought to show concern for the safety of its employees. We therefore call on the SABC to swiftly look into allegations of intimidation of its journalists.

The Committee also noted the resignation of two of the remaining three board members, Ms Vuyokazi Mhlakaza and Dr Aaron Tshidzumba, who have now been added to the witness list together with other former board members. Their resignations are appropriate as the Board is inquorate and thus legally incompetent to take decisions or incapable of providing strategic leadership to the corporation. 

We look forward to the ad hoc committee discharging its mandate without fear, favour or prejudice to ensure that this important public asset never again finds itself in a similar situation.

Issued by Moloto Mothapo on behalf of the Office of the ANC Chief Whip, 15 November 2016