CAPE TOWN — For the first time in about a decade the SABC is to get a solid board of professional, largely independent people backed by broad political consensus, all prerequisites to steer the public broadcaster out of crisis.
A list of 12 names was voted on by Parliament’s communications committee yesterday with seven (58%) supported unanimously.
The selection process of the remaining five was controversial with the Democratic Alliance (DA), Congress of the People, and Independent Democrats (ID) accusing the African National Congress (ANC) of politicising the board and reneging on agreements.
They strongly rejected two proposals — David Niddrie and Clifford Motsepe — because they were nominated by the South African Communist Party and the ANC Youth League respectively.
The opposition feared these two would serve their parties rather than the broader public interests, but the ANC insisted they were chosen for their skills.
The DA and ID also opposed former board member Desmond Golding, who was nominated by ANC official in the Presidency Jessie Duarte and former South African ambassador and SABC board member Barbara Masekela. They said the new board should get off to an unencumbered, fresh start. Also in disfavour was former arts, culture, science and technology minister Ben Ngubane.
Those unanimously agreed to included electrical engineer Magatho Mello; National Union of Mineworkers president Cedric Gina; lawyer and businessman Peter Harris; former Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) MP and interim SABC board member Suzanne Vos; former head of SABC radio news Pippa Green; lawyer, broadcasting specialist and former Independent Communications Authority of SA councillor Felleng Sekha; and broadcasting and media consultant Clare O’Neil.
The IFP voted for the ANC’s list drawn from 30 candidates, short-listed from 230 nominees.
The ANC caucus decided that there was no room for compromise on the party’s list, so a vote was taken on all the names.
The final list will be recommended to President after National Assembly endorsement next month, and he will appoint the chairman and deputy chairman.
ensorl@bdfm.co.za