Board candidate takes flak

THE appointment of bogus sign language interpreter, Thamsanqa Jantjie, during Nelson Mandela’s memorial service came back to haunt one of the candidates vying for a position in the SABC board.

Cikizwa Dingi, an entrepreneur and CEO of Mbokodo VIP, was among the last 12 shortlisted candidates who appeared before the communications portfolio committee for interviews yesterday.

Dingi confirmed to the DA’s Phumzile van Damme that her company had hired Jantjie, who was accused of using incorrect signs during Mandela’s memorial service in 2013.

However, Dingi did not see the relevance of the questions posed when quizzed on the matter.

“It was a matter of an employee and employer and it is a closed matter. I’m not sure if you expect me to divulge infor- mation between an employee and an employer,” she said.

But, Van Damme said, it was important for her to respond.

“You hired an individual who lied about his capability,” she said.

She also denied being a political deployee when quizzed about her referees, which included President Jacob Zuma, ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu and ministers Bathabile Dlamini, Edna Molewa and Lindiwe Zulu when she worked at ANC headquarters.

“I could have hidden the references that I worked at Luthuli House. It is not an issue for me,” Dingi said.

“I can assure you that I am not a political deployee or politically affiliated.”

When it was put to her she had listed the high-profile people to show how politically linked she was, Dingi said the CV was not for public distribution and she had an updated one.

MPs were having none of it and the tough line of questioning continued.

The DA’s Gavin Davis grilled her on comments made by Dlamini following the alleged assault of a woman by former higher education deputy minister Mduduzi Manana.

Davis also asked her about ANC cadre deployment policy.

“Today’s exercise is about interviews of SABC and my availability and expertise. I’m here as an individual not on behalf of any political party,” Dingi said.

Her response prompted the EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi to call for her to be sent packing.

“Let us not turn this Parliament into a mockery. You can’t allow a candidate to mock Parliament,” Ndlozi said.

“Let us be taken seriously. If she is not prepared to answer our questions, this exercise is futile.

“I beg, at least, let’s protect the integrity of the process (interviews),” he added.