Parliament puts Zuma on spot
● President under growing pressure to approve new SABC board ● Civil society groups also weigh in on the matter
President Jacob Zuma has had enough time to appoint a new board at the SABC and could have made his selection last month if he was more diligent.
That is according to parliament’s chairman of the portfolio committee on communications‚ Humphry Maxegawana‚ who said that the due diligence the Presidency undertook into the candidates recommended by parliament should have been completed sooner.
“The problem we have with the process is that we presented our report [to parliament] on September 6‚” Maxegawana said.
“The [interim] SABC board was going out on September 26.
“We think it was enough time for the president to have done all the processes needed so that the matter was concluded by the 26th.
“If they started the process after receiving the names on September 6‚ they would have completed it in time.”
Civil society groups have also weighed in on the matter and chairperson of Save Our SABC, Thandi Smith, said that there was “far too much political interference” when it came to the appointment of the new board.
“The fact that we are waiting for the appointment of three major [positions] is infuriating. It works against the good work which was done by the interim board‚” Smith said.
“We heard [that the reasons for the delay are that] there needs to be more vetting.
“We thought it would happen quickly and it has been very disappointing that we are getting the interference.”
The president’s spokesman‚ Bongani Ngqulunga‚ said vetting of the candidates had been completed but would not say when the appointments would be made.
“The Presidency received all the documentation on Friday‚ which will enable the president to complete the process soon‚” said Ngqulunga.
“As the appointing authority‚ the president is required by law to ensure that persons appointed to the SABC meet certain requirements.
“The due diligence that has been undertaken is not meant to second-guess any institution.”