President and Speaker stalling restoration of the “broken” SABC

1 August 2017

The DA commends the work done by the SABC interim board and looks forward to working through the 362 applications from people who have applied to be permanent board members.

However, the work done by the interim board is being stalled because our President and Speaker are failing to carry out their mandates.

I have today requested that the Chairperson of the Communications committee urgently write to the President to ensure that he promptly sign-off on the proclamation for the SIU to investigate the SABC.  This was expedited by Justice Minister months ago and there is no valid reason for the President to stall this process.

I have also requested that a letter be written to the Speaker of the National Assembly to immediately release the report on the people who lied under oath to the SABC Ad Hoc Committee, which has been ready since 5 June.  It is highly irregular and unacceptable that this report has still not been tabled. These people, who willfully misled parliament, should be held to account.

Further, I requested an urgent briefing by the Minister of Police on work that has been done in relation to the threats against the SABC8. People should not be fearing for their lives when in the employ of the SABC.  I have previously met with the Inspector General of Intelligence who is also looking into this matter after our investigation request.  It is also crucial that all the “enforcers” of Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s reign of terror be identified and be acted against.

Finally, I insisted that Prof Maguvhe’s legal fees be revisited, as costs were awarded against him in his personal capacity and should not be covered by the SABC’s so-called legal insurance.  It is crucial that not a single cent more of tax payer’s money be wasted on the SABC and politically appointed cronies.

It is worrying that the amount requested for the bail-out has still not been revealed by the interim board or the Minister, as the Minister has on various occasions promised to make public the amount requested.  It is not clear why the Minister is hiding this amount from the committee and South Africans.

Despite the interim board’s hard work, it seems that yet again the political will is missing to fix the major problems at the SABC.  It is time for President Zuma and Mbete to stop stalling and start acting immediately.

Issued by Phumzile Van Damme, DA Shadow Minister of Communications, 1 August 2017