Genl. Siphiwe Nyanda, South Africa's minister of communications who has taken longer than two weeks to react to the massive new fiasco unfolding at South Africa's public broadcaster has now silenced the SABC board, instructing them NOT to talk about the unfolding internal leadership crisis at the beleaguered SABC.
The SABC board is at odds with dr. Ben Ngubane, SABC board chairperson as well as the SABC's group CEO, Solly Mokoetle with a growing rift between the board and these two bumbling executives after they unilaterally decided to ''appoint'' Phil Molefe as the new head of news at the public broadcaster. The SABC board announced the ''appointment'' as ''null and void'', but Solly Mokoetle - despite this decision by the board - told the SABC's news staff on Tuesday that Phil Molefe IS the head of news.
Now genl. Siphiwe Nyanda is entering the new SABC battle that is raging at the very top of the SABC, mere days before the public broadcaster is supposed to starts the broadcast of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and after the SABC was pummeled last year by allegations of serious corruption, mismanagement, a dire lack of financial discipline and corporate governance, the inability to pay local producers and a massive struggle between the SABC's then group CEO and the SABC board chairperson.
In a late night statement from the department of communications, the department says ''the minister has noted with concern the developments surrounding the appointing of the head of news at the public broadcaster. The minister has been briefed about the issue.'' The statement continues by saying ''he will meet with the board soon''. He then ''in particular urges'' SABC board members ''to refrain from making statements while this issue is being dealt with'' - an issue which has now been ongoing for a least two weeks, and having no similar urge to tell dr. Ben Ngubane, Solly Mokoetle and Phil Molefe to keep their mouths shut as well.
I can tell you exclusively first that the SABC will be having an official launch function of their new SABC Broadcast Centre this coming Wednesday, June 9, at the Sandton Convention Centre which will make for a spectacular show-and-tell since all of these people will most probably all be there.
ALSO READ: SABC's Solly Mokoetle tells shocked news staff that Phil Molefe IS the new head of news.
ALSO READ: SABC board calls ''appointment'' of Phil Molefe as head of news ''null and void''.
