Kalidass reveals why she quit SABC board

THE new SABC board has already been hit by its first resignation‚ just one month after it was appointed.

In a letter to President Jacob Zuma‚ which was shared with MPs‚ board member Rachel Kalidass asked to be released from her fiduciary duties as a board member with immediate effect.

At the core of her decision to resign is the appointment process for the positions of group chief executive and chief operating officer.

She had registered concerns about the first choice for the chief executive position‚ who had allegations of fraud and corruption hanging over his head‚ and a strong conflict of interest.

Kalidass said in her resignation letter that she had approached ANC MP Mondli Gungubele with her concerns on November 4‚ and was taken to task on November 6 by board members, who accused her of breaching confidentiality.

Kalidass did not name the candidate for chief executive‚ but DA MP Phumzile van Damme named him in as Alan Mukoki.

She said that while he was eminently qualified, his history in the public sector made him wholly unsuitable for the post.

Van Damme said Mukoki was accused of diverting R2-billion meant for emerging farmers without board approval, when he was chief executive of the Land Bank in 2007.