Members ‘should never have been nominated’

IF IT were up to Communications Minister Ayanda Dlodlo, the now defunct SABC interim board members would never have been nominated in the first place nor would it have been recommended that they serve on a permanent basis.

Dlodlo made this clear to the interim board members and the ANC’s study group on communications, according to insiders. The minister also confirmed her views to Independent Media in an interview on Thursday.

Although Dlodlo said she was satisfied with the work the interim board members had done regarding stabilising the SABC and “steering the public broadcaster in the right direction” she also made her stance clear about interim board members’ prospects.

Quizzed whether it would be a sound business decision to have them serve again to ensure continuity and stability, she remarked: “When you talk about continuity in an environment like the SABC, maybe continuity is not a good word to use.”

She added that she had explained this to the interim board members.

“I said to them: ‘All of you will be gone (and) life will still continue, in terms of ensuring that what you have begun to do is carried forward because the management of the SABC will still be there.”

The SABC has been without a board for three weeks and it has been almost six weeks since Parliament adopted recommendations endorsing the interim board.

President Jacob Zuma has said he is still “applying his mind” because he “has to satisfy himself they are fit and proper persons to serve on the board and that they possess the qualifications they claim to have”. But a week after the South African Qualification Authority completed the verification process and gave him feedback, Zuma has yet to appoint the board.

This has raised concerns that there are renewed attempts to “recapture” the SABC and ensure it is controlled by certain politicians.

On Thursday, Dlodlo seemed to be caught unaware when Independent Media quizzed her on the fact that the executives’ terms were lapsing on that very day.

An impromptu meeting was then called with the department’s legal adviser, and about three hours later, Dlodlo extended the acting appointments of acting GCEO Nomsa Philiso, CFO Thabile Dlamini and COO Bessie Tugwana.