POLITICS

SACP says good riddance to Christine Qunta

Spokesperson Malesela Maleka calls on the rest of SABC board to follow suit and resign

SACP Statement on resignations from the SABC Board

The SACP notes and welcomes the resignation of the second SABC Board Member and its deputy chairperson. This is actually good riddance, but goes to show the extent to which the public broadcaster is in the doldrums.

The SACP further calls upon the rest of the SABC Board Members to follow suit and resign, as they have collectively failed to perform their task of steering the SABC into a truly reputable and efficient entity. The  tenure of this board has been characterized by one mess after the other,  including court cases between the board and the Group CEO, leaking of confidential documents, a stand-off between the board and management, an R800 million deficit, instances of serious corruption and a news division that has deteriorated into being nothing more than a COPE mouthpiece.

The resignation of other board members will save us, the country and board members themselves the pain and shame of a lengthy parliamentary process to investigate and decide on the competence and suitability of the current board. Such voluntary resignations will give the country the chance of constituting a credible, legitimate and representative board capable of building a public broadcaster that can take its rightful place along other public institutions that are central in advancing and deepening our democracy. In particular we need an inclusive board which also includes representative drawn from the ranks of the working class.

However, it is not enough for the board to make way, but a serious rebuilding of the image of SABC News is required. The quality, standard and bias of the SABC news has really become shameful. Part of addressing this problem is for the removal of Snuki Zikalala and Amrit Manga, and reposition the News Division away from being a mouthpiece of any political party, but to serve the interests of all South Africans, especially the workers and the poor.

The SACP also welcomes the planned convening of the Portfolio Committee on Communications to summon the board to explain itself on the many problems facing the public broadcaster, and to consider appropriate remedial actions.

Statement issued by the South African Communist Party, March 26 2009

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