Parties disagree on SABC candidated

Committee recommends eight to be sent to the national assembly on Tuesday, but opposition have many objections

THE ANC has pushed through its list of preferred candidates to serve on the board of the SABC despite opposition parties complaining about some of the individuals who have been nominated.

This emerged when the portfolio committee on communications met yesterday to recommend the names of the eight candidates be sent to the National Assembly on Tuesday for recommendation to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The ANC initially put forward the names of Mary Papayya, Jasmina Patel, Dr Marcia Socikwa, Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi, Bernedette Muthien, advocate Benjamin Motshedi Lekalakala, Professor Saths Cooper and David Maimela. The ANC’s Mziwamadoda Kalako said the candidates had a variety of skills in journalism, broadcasting, issues of regulation and community issues, as well as displaying strong character traits.

“These are people who will stand fast and not be used to interfere or allow the SABC to be partisan to anyone and any party,” Kalako said.

DA’s Phumzile van Damme came out in support of Papayya, Socikwa, Patel and Mohlala-Mulaudzi, despite some reservations on the latter two.

However, she felt Muthien did not have broadcasting experience, while Lekalakala would not speak out when something went wrong at the SABC, given his history at his former employer, the City of Johannesburg.

Van Damme viewed Cooper as arrogant and noted that a finding had been made against him in a report by the Higher Education Department, while Maimela’s experience was in the ANC and social media.

She also decried the fact that the board was without a chartered accountant after Rowan Nicholls was left out.

Van Damme pushed for Nokuzola Ehrens, whom she said had vast knowledge of the broadcasting industry, as well as Itani Treisi, formerly SABC risk and governance executive during the era of former chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

The EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said some of the candidates had showed no interest in broadcasting, the SABC or technology developments.

Ndlozi raised concerns with Maimela, saying he was on social media campaigning for the ANC.

“It is tragic that you even consider him,” he said.

Ndlozi said Cooper had failed dismally in running Durban-Westville University and had bad leadership and management traits.

He asked for some of the names of proposed male candidates to give way for women so as to balance the gender composition on the board.

Ndlozi pushed for the inclusion of Tseisi, Ehrens and former SABC chief executive Lulama Mokhobo.

On objections to Cooper, Kalako said: “I think what angered most members is his forthrightness.”

He said the opposition to Maimela was because the opposition MPs clashed with him on social media.

“Those are strong candidates they can’t manipulate,” Kalako said.

Committee member Nhlanhla Xaba said Mokhobo and Tseisi could not be included owing to their past employment at SABC.

“We don’t want people who will settle scores of the past,” Xaba said.

The parties could not reach consensus after they held a caucus meeting.

ANC’s Rambuluwana Tseli said their list of candidates as initially presented still stood.

“We tried by all means to persuade them. They could not move and we are also not moving,” he said.

Van Damme accused the ANC of not budging on the list.

“They don’t consider opposition views,” she said.