The SABC board said the decision does not rest with dr Ben Ngubane and that Phil Molefe's ''appointment'' was ''null and void''. Now, after a meeting with the minister of communications on Thursday, genl Siphiwe Nyanda, dr Ben Ngubane has backed down after - as I've been told by sources - dr Ben Ngubane was told to ''get his house [meaning the SABC/SABC board] in order'' in so many words.
The SABC didn't want to comment, telling me I need to talk to the department of communications. The minister's spokesperson told me I need to talk to the SABC. ''It's entirely an SABC matter,'' he told me. ''For the minister to say anything at all will be seen construed as interfering in the matters of the SABC and the SABC board. This is the SABC and the SABC board's responsibility.'' Dr Ben Ngubane didn't respond to voicemail at the time of posting this story. I understand that dr Ben Ngubane got quite a dressing down from the SABC board as well as from the minister this week. The process of looking for and appointing a head of news at the SABC will now once again continue with the SABC board getting to make - and approve - the final decision.
