COPE, IFP: FAILURE TO APPOINT BEST CANDIDATES TO SABC BOARD DEPLORABLE

The ANC's intransigence to ensure that a fully non-partisan, competent SABC Board is appointed, is regrettable. It is evident that they finally bowed to pressure from Luthuli House to advance specific candidates at the last minute. Some of the names that were pushed through today were not even on the ANC's original list of preferred candidates.

Parliament was provided with a unique opportunity to appoint non-executive directors who would jointly boast the requisite skills and independence to restore public confidence in the public broadcaster so as to ensure that the SABC would regain its lost audiences and grow its revenue base.

Excellent and appropriately qualified and experienced South Africans from all communities and age groups were nominated and shortlisted for appointment to the SABC Board. Notwithstanding earlier undertakings by the ANC in the Committee on Communications that they would support the best qualified, non-partisan candidates, they reneged on these undertakings at the last minute and steamrolled their preferred candidates through.

The SABC has remained dysfunctional and unstable at senior management level for almost ten years.  This is borne out by the recent disclaimer by the Auditor General, and previously by several management reports by independent institutions.

It is now uncertain whether the SABC's sinking ship can be rescued in time. If the next Board is unsuccessful, the ANC will have to accept full responsibility.

Statement issued by Ms Juli Killian MP (Cope) and Ms Liezl van der Merwe MP (IFP), September 17 2013

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter