Deranged Mark Zinde who brutally bludgeoned his mom and former SABC board member, Hope Zinde, to death, is sent to a mental institution for life.

The deranged Mark Zinde who brutally bludgeoned his mother and former SABC board member, Hope Zinde, to death, has been sent to a mental institution on Friday.

The court on Friday declared the killer and violent recluse Mark Zinde mentally ill and ordered him committed to a mental institution where he will be detained for life or until he's deemed fit to be let loose outside again after psychiatric evaluation.

Three psychiatrists from Weskoppies Hospital declared the schizophrenic Mark Zinde a danger to himself and to others and told the court he belongs in a mental institution where he should be under supervision constantly.

Mark Zinde who will be kept at a prison hospital until there's space at a mental institution, also suffers from narcissistic and other personality disorders.

Gauteng High Court Judge Bert Bam found that Mark Zinde murdered his mother, Hope Zinde (50) in June 2016  at their lux Pecan Wood Estate home after which he dumped her dead body in the boot of the car.

Mark Zinde later also tried to murder his father, Dr Lebohang Manoto., when he was released into his care, and also attacked his stepmother.

Mark Zinde can only be released at some point in the future if a judge in terms of South Africa's Mental Health Act, agrees to his release.

Murdered Hope Zinde's dumped body found in the boot of her car 5 days after former SABC board member was killed; son arrested, drugs found.

The body of the murdered Hope Zinde (50) was found this (Saturday) afternoon by police, dumped in the boot of her Range Rover 5 days ago after the former SABC board member was killed apparently this past Monday, in the bathroom of her luxury Pecanwood Golf Estate house in Hartbeespoort Dam after which her body was dragged to her car.

Mabalwa Hope Zenda Zinde was 50.

Her only child, a son (28), has been arrested on suspicion of murder and charged and the suspect will appear on Monday in the Brits magistrate's court.

A parcel weighing approximately 10kg and containing drugs, were found in the blood-smeared bathroom.

Police was called to the house at Hartbeespoort Dam northwest of Pretoria today after Hope Zinde's son refused to open the door and reportedly only peeped through the curtains when a desperate family friend visited who had been trying to get a hold of Hope Zinde for 4 days since Wednesday.

Police followed blood smears from the bathroom to the garage and found a heavy, bloodied 10kg parcel in the bathroom.

"Following an incident where a 50-year old woman was found dead inside a boot of a car we are investigating a case of murder," says North West police spokesperson Sabata Mokgwabone.

Hope Zinde was fired as SABC board member in March 2015, and claimed undue interference by the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, in the workings of the SABC board and warned that Faith Muthabi is diluting the powers of the SABC board to run the SABC.

Hope Zinde opposed the sale of the SABC's archives to MultiChoice to start the SABC Encore library channel on DStv and was also against the permanent appointment of the controversial Hlaudi Motsoeneng as chief operating officer (COO) of the SABC.

Hope Zinde had an honours degree in psychology, a degree on social sciences and a marketing qualification from the University of Sienna in Italy from when she studied abroad.

She was an executive manager at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) when she was murdered.

Hope Zinde wasn't married and once remarked that she'd turned down several marriage proposals from high-powered men "because I know what I want", saying "unmarried women should not look backward in anger, or forward in fear, but around themselves in awareness.''

Hope Zinde worked for the SABC for 15 years from 1991 to 2006 as a broadcast journalist who mostly covered politics.

The biggest criticism of Hope Zinde's journalistic career came in 2005 when she was heavily criticised for her alleged biased reporting during the Zimbabwe general elections in 2005, telling viewers from Harare's Sheraton Hotel just a few hours after checking in that Zimbabwe is peaceful contrary to many Western media reports and that conditions in Zimbabwe is fine for free and fair elections.

Since 2000 she was a producer, presenter and also a news anchor with Peter Ndoro for the 180 Degrees morning programme on the SABC's now discontinued SABC Africa TV channel that ran on MultiChoice's DStv platform.

Hope Zinde who loved languages, marketing and reading, climbed the ranks as the SABC, starting as a newswriter and newsreader, moving to producer and executive producer on several SABC actuality shows like Perspective and also working as a presenter and anchor on television and radio like SAfm's PM Live show.

Later on she ran Hope Zinde Communications that she started in 1998 and did PR and marketing for various companies, including clients like Coca-Cola South Africa.

Hope Zinde's last tweet was this past Sunday, sharing an image of boxer Muhammad Ali shaking hands with Nelson Mandela, which she captioned as "The Greatest shaking hands with The Great One".

Hope Zinde called her interview with Nelson Mandela one of her "most treasured" in her years as a journalist.

Zinde's family in a statement says that it offers them great comfort to witness how loved she was and the positive contribution she made to the lives of so many.

"While the investigation into Hope's untimely passing is in progress, we ask for your support in allowing the authorities to do their work, and not speculate on the circumstances surrounding her death".

Peter Ndoro, now the co-anchor of SABC News's flagship weeknight news show, on Saturday told SABC News (DStv 404) that Hope Zinde "loved her work, She worked hard. And she was a person who was never afraid to speak her truth. And I think everybody appreciated her honesty".

"It's really tragic to hear about her passing in this way. A sad story," said Peter Ndoro. "She wanted the story told and she got the story told."

"As a colleague I will always just remember her as a strong woman who led the way for many of the young female presenter who we see here. She was one of the pioneers of programmes like Good Morning South Africa at a time when there were just not that many young black woman in the media doing important programming".


Hope Zinde was a loyal ANC activist and supporter and remained so despite the way she was fired from the SABC board by Faith Muthambi.

In a statement on Saturday evening the ANC political party said the party "extends its condolences to members of the South African and continental journalism fraternity on the loss of seasoned communicator, Hope Zinde who has passed away"

The ANC said "Hope Zinde was a well-respected journalist" and that she was "known for her passion and dedication to her craft, as well as her role in mentoring younger journalists".

"The South African communications landscape has lost a committed professional who left an indelible mark on the industry as a whole, and the ANC extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of the late Hope Zinde".


In a statement the Democratic Alliance (DA) political party said it "sends its deepest condolences to the friends and family of media personality and former SABC board member, Hope Zinde, following her untimely death".

"Her passion for public broadcasting was such that she was appointed to the SABC board where she fought to protect the SABC's independence".

"The DA thanks Hope Zinde for her contributions to strengthening our democracy. In her, our country has lost a passionate, fearless, and dedicated broadcaster and advocate for a truly independent SABC".

"Her legacy lives on, and it is for her, that we all as South Africans should continue to protect and build an SABC we can all be proud of".


UPDATE Sunday 12 June 2016 13:00: The SABC in a statement on Sunday - in which it deliberately said nothing of how Hope Zinde was fired from the SABC board last year - said "the SABC has leartn with sadness and shock about the tragic passing of former SABC board member Hope Zinde".

SABC board chairman Mbulaheni Maguvhe said Hope Zinde "worked tirelessly in the broadcasting arena in both television and radio".

"She served the SABC board to the best of her ability during her tenure and the South African public has lost a giant in the field of journalism and broadcasting."

"The SABC board, management, and staff sent their deepest condolences to Hope Zinde's family and friends".


UPDATE Monday 13 June 2016 10:00: Minister of communications Faith Muthambi in a statement says she sends condolences to the family of the late Hope Zinde, who was found murdered at her home earlier this week.

"We recognised Hope Zinde for the role that she has played in shaping the SABC, in particular, as well as radio and television broadcasting services in South Africa in general."

"She enjoyed an illustrious career in broadcasting, and inspired a new generation of young people to follow in her footsteps. As the ministry of communications, we wish her loved ones, friends and colleagues strength during this difficult time. Our hearts are with them."


UPDATE Monday 13 June 2016 11:00: The South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) says in a statement it has "expresses the collective shock of its members at the news of the gruesome death of journalist and media activist Hope Zinde."

"Hope Zinde was amongst the generation of journalists who arrived at the SABC in Auckland Park at the dawn of democracy to help change the content of what until then had been a state broadcaster."

"With her colleagues and the leadership of people such as the late Zwelakhe Sisulu and Joe Thloloe, they changed the news division into a credible source of information in the service of the South African public. She grew to become a household and respected anchor of prime programmes at SABC News".

"She left the SABC but returned years later as a board member still determined to ensure the corporation fulfilled its mission to the public. It was this commitment that saw her clash with the reigning leadership of the SABC, who are steadily turning it into a centre of sunshine journalism where uncomfortable incidents of national importance are being steadily censored out of the news."

"In her attempts to defend the integrity of the SABC, she turned to both the ANC top leadership and the minister in charge of the SABC but was rebuffed and eventually kicked out of the board."

"South African journalism has lost a committed journalist, a campaigner for media freedom and a fearless advocate of sound corporate governance at the SABC. Sanef and its members convey our heartfelt and deep sorrow at the circumstances under which she died."


UPDATE Monday 13 June 2016 11:15: The South African Communist Party (SACP) says in a statement it's saddened by the death of "media transformation stalwart" Hope Zinde.

"The SACP expresses its message of sincere condolences to the family and relatives of a seasoned journalist, former SABC presenter, producer and board member Hope Zinde for the great loss suffered from her death."

"The SACP will always cherish the memory of Hope Zinde for her total but principled opposition to the corporate capture of the SABC by monopoly capital, in particular, Naspers' Multichoice, and for uncompromising stance against corruption."

"Hope Zinde stuck to ANC policies on the transformation of the communications industry in the face of massive deviation and buying of key individuals to go against the principle. It was in the course of this dedicated service to our people and country that she was victimised by being controversially and unlawfully removed from the SABC board."

Communications minister Faith Muthambi told axed SABC board member Hope Zinde: 'but Baba loves Hlaudi. We must support him.'

Shocking correspondence between the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi and an axed SABC board member shows how Faith Muthambi allegedly directly interfered in the purging of SABC board members who were against the appointment of the SABC's famously matricless boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng, with ousted former SABC board member Hope Zinde writing that Faith Muthambi told her "But baba loves Hlaudi".

Faith Muthambi's reference "baba" is a reference to president Jacob Zuma.

Faith Muthambi told SABC board member Hope Zinde - who got axed because she voiced opposition to Hlaudi Motsoeneng: "but baba loves Hlaudi. He loves him so much. We must support him."

As the unstable SABC board keeps lurching from crisis to crisis, former SABC board members Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi were all axed the past few months, allegedly through Faith Muthambi using the Companies Act, not the Broadcasting Act to interfere in the running of the SABC board.

While Dikeledi Tsotetsi, the acting chairperson of the ANC study group on communications said in June that "we have received no formal complaints from those who may have felt they had been treated unfairly" and that "we are of the view that its time to close this chapter and allow the minister of communications space to continue her work with the SABC", is now come to light that the ousted SABC board members wrote several letters to Faith Muthambi, and to complain about her alleged undue interference.

Hope Zinde also wrote that she had "dire concerns" about the contract in which the SABC sold access to the public broadcaster's archives to pay-TV behemoth MultiChoice.

Hope Zinde also complained about Hlaudi Motsoeneng -.

The Public Protector in February 2014 in a damning report found that the controversial chief operating officer (COO) should "never have been appointed at the SABC" and lied about having a matric.

As SABC board member, Hope Zinde wrote that Hlaudi Motsoeneng is "a stumbling block" in the proper functioning of the SABC board.

"At [parliament's] portfolio committee on 22 June, Daniel Mantsha, [Faith Muthambi's lawyer] argued that none of the SABC board members had contested their dismissal and that there was therefore no reason to consider their reinstatement."

"Yet a few days after the committee meeting, one of the axed SABC board members, Ronnie Lubisi made a public statement declaring that he had in fact lodged a complaint," says Gavin Davis, the Democratic Alliance's (DA) MP.

Interestingly it has now also come to light that Daniel Mantsha was struck off the roll of attorneys in 2007.

It was on Daniel Mantsha's advice that Faith Muthambi told parliament she intervened in the governance of the SABC which led to the purging of Ronnie Lubisi, Rachel Kalidass and Hope Zinde.

Hope Zinde wrote to Joyce Moloi-Moropa, the chairperson of parliament's portfolio committee on communications, writing that "only the members who did not support the appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng received these threatening letters [from Faith Muthambi] and are as such targeted".

In another letter Hope Zinde wrote in March this year to Joyce Moloi-Moropa, she said that the SABC chairperson prof. Obert Maguvhe  "is representing Hlaudi Motsoeneng's interests" and not that of the SABC board.

Hope Zinde wrote that Faith Muthambi then informed her that: "But baba loves Hlaudi. He loves him so much. We must support him."

Appointment of Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe as SABC chairperson condemned by South African political parties, IFP, DA and COPE.

The political appointment of Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe as new permanent SABC chairperson by president Jacob Zuma on Friday has been swiftly condemned by South African opposition parties like the IFP and the Democratic Alliance (DA), saying Maguvhe is being rewarded for getting rid of independently-minded SABC board members and protecting the SABC's controversial and famously matricless chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

On Friday president Jacob Zuma announced that Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe, who happens to be blind and who had been the acting SABC chairperson, has been appointed to the position permanently and that SABC board member Leah Khumalo has been appointed as new deputy SABC chairperson.

Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe took over as acting SABC chairperson at the beginning of 2015 after the scandalous exit of the disgraced and shamed Ellen Tshabalala who left in December 2014 after she was exposed for lying about tertiary qualifications she didn't have.

Prof. Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe then presided over the purging of the SABC board members Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi, leaving the unstable and gutted SABC board without a quorum.

"Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe proved his political usefulness further this year when, as acting chairperson of the SABC board, he illegally removed Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi," says the DA member of parliament and member of the portfolio committee on communications, Gavin Davis.

"It has since been confirmed by parliament's legal advisors that Maghuve's decision to remove these SABC board members was unlawful."

"He is now being rewarded for getting rid of excellent and independently-minded SABC board members and protecting Hlaudi Motsoeneng when he should have been fired."

"Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe's appointment is bad news for all South Africans who want the SABC to be the independent public broadcaster envisaged in our Constitution," says Gavin Davis.

The IFP said it rejected the political appointment of Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe and that the SABC and the SABC board will only become credible and effective when the struggling public broadcaster is separated from politics.

"For as long as it is treated as a cadre-deployment division of the ANC, it will not be able to fully and independently executive its mandate in the public interest," says the IFP member of parliament Liezl van der Merwe.

The IFP called Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe and Leah Khumalo "loyalists" of the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi and of Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

The IFP says it rejects Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe appointment as new permanent SABC chairperson "because he must still be held to account for the unlawful and illegal removal of three independent-minded board members - Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi earlier this year."

The Congress of People (COPE called Prof Pbert Mbulaheni and Leah Khumalo "praise singers" and said "Luthuli House will in effect control the SABC," in a statement.

"The SABC, like the ruling party in parliament, will continue with whitewashing misdemeanours and continue to regard all us fools."

Prof. Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe appointed as permanent new SABC chairperson; Leah Khumalo appointed as deputy SABC chairperson.

Prof. Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe, the current acting SABC chairperson has been appointed to the position permanently on Friday by president Jacob Zuma.

President Jacob Zuma appointed SABC board member Leah Khumalo as new deputy SABC chairperson.

In a statement on Friday afternoon from the presidency, president Jacob Zuma says the appointments take immediate effect.

The appointments of Prof. Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe and Leah Khumalo were swiftly condemned by opposition political parties, the IFP and the Democratic Alliance (DA) calling it "ANC cadre-deployment" and that the struggling SABC and SABC board will only start to function effectively when its separated from politics.

Prof. Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe took over as acting SABC chairperson at the beginning of the year after the scandalous exit of the disgraced and shamed Ellen Tshabalala who left in December 2014 after she was exposed for lying about tertiary qualifications she didn't have.

Prof. Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe, who happens to be blind, then presided over the purging of the SABC board members Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi, leaving the unstable and gutted SABC board without a quorum.

The SABC board is supposed to have 12 board members but only 6 remain after ongoing resignations in 2014 and the firings in 2015. The SABC board requires 9 SABC board members for a quorum to exist.

"President Jacob Zuma has wished Professor Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe and Leah Khumalo all the best in their new responsibilities," says presidential spokesperson Harold Maloka.

'The SABC is not in crisis,' says minister of communications, Faith Muthabi; promises a new SABC CEO 'any time now'.

The SABC is not in crisis.

So says Faith Muthambi, South Africa's minister of communications about the beleaguered South African public broadcaster, promising that a new CEO for the position which has been vacant for months will happen "any time now".

Faith Muthambi was one of the panelists, together with the SABC's controversial and famously matricless chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng, at the latest breakfast briefing of The New Age newspaper held in Fourways, Johannesburg.

Faith Muthambi denied that she was the one who fired SABC board members Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi in March.

"Can I say upfront I didn't dismiss any SABC board member. I don't have the power to do that. That was a decision of the board of the SABC to do that. And then they've done that, empowered by the provision of section 71 of the Companies Act.

"There's no crisis," said Faith Muthambi. She denied that the gutted SABC board which has no permanent chairperson and which lost several members since last year, no longer has a quorum. "They quorate. They are still quorating. They still form a quorum."

On when the SABC will see a new permanent CEO - something she promised would happen by September 2014 - Faith Muthambi said "the matter has been finalised. We're still dealing with the due diligence part of it. Any time from now."

"The CEO will be appointed. You know need to do all those due diligence issues that you need because you don't want a situation where someone comes in, that person is not vetted, then you have problems," said Faith Muthambi.

Like Eskom and South African Airways, the SABC has been lurching from crisis to crisis, constantly battered by a barrage of bad press.

Since Lulama Mokhobo abruptly quit in February 2014 after just 14 months into her 5 year contract without any explanation, the SABC has been without a CEO for a year and three months now.

In February the Public Protector, in a scathing report, found that the famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng was "dishonest", lied about having a matric which he admitted to in a recorded interview, and committed fraud by making up symbols for a matric certificate he knew he couldn't produce.

The Public Protector also found Hlaudi Motsoeneng irregularly and rapidly increased the salaries of various SABC staff members and that his own salary also increased three times in one year with 63% to R2.4 million.

The Public Protector found that Hlaudi Motsoeneng was directly involved in purging all the SABC staff who testified against him in an earlier disciplinary hearing, and that the "dysfunctional" SABC board is part of "pathological corporate governance deficiencies at the SABC".

The Public Protector said that Hlaudi Motsoeneng should be suspended; instead the SABC responded by permanently appointing him as chief operating officer (COO). After the Western Cape High Court twice ordered that he be suspended, the case is now moving to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in September.

The unstable SABC board has been without a chairperson for months after the lying chairwoman Ellen Tshabalala resigned in December following the highly embarrassing, highly publicised scandal of faking her tertiary qualifications. She initially also went to court.

SABC board member Bongani Khumalo abruptly resigned in January and Hope Zinde was purged from the SABC board in March together with Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi.

The SABC's most watched TV show and biggest TV revenue earner, Generations, abruptly disappeared for months from the airwaves at the end of 2014 due to a talent strike which SABC executives failed to resolve and which saw the cast abruptly being fired and replaced.

The SABC's suspended TV boss Leo Manne resigned and left at the end of April, leaving the position of general manager for TV channels vacant.

In April ongoing concern was raised in parliament over the SABC's audience share which is flat at 53%.

The SABC wasted R3.39 billion on irregular spending in three years according to the Auditor General (AG) and the public broadcaster has so far received 4 consecutive annual qualified audits from the AG.

SABC spends a whopping R3 million a year on its choir - to sing the praises of its famously matricless COO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

The SABC spends a whopping R3 million a year on its choir and among their songs is one singing the praises of the crises-riddled public broadcaster’s famously matricless chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

The minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, told parliament that the SABC spends a massive R3 million per year on its choir.

The SABC choir has 40 choristers, 25 freelancers and 15 permanent SABC staff members. The splurge of R3 million per year by the SABC includes a monthly salary of a massive R10 000 for each of the freelancers, as well as travelling costs.

The SABC choir sings songs of praise in SABC staff meetings for the embattled COO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng with lyrics like “Hlaudi Motsoeneng reya o leboha” (Hlaudi Motsoeneng we thank you.”)

The embattled Hlaudi Motsoeneng is embroiled in a protracted court fight after the Western Cape High Court has already twice ordered the SABC to immediately suspend him – a judgment he's appealing.

Last year the Public Protector in a damning report implicated Hlaudi Motsoeneng in maladministration and corruption at the public broadcaster, finding that "Hlaudi Motsoeneng should never have been appointed at the SABC" and that he should be suspended.

According to the Public Protector, Hlaudi Motsoeneng lied about having a matric certificate and made up symbols for a matric certificate he knew he didn't have and couldn't produce.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng was implicated as having been involved in getting rid of everyone who testified against him in an earlier disciplinary hearing at the SABC, and his salary increased from R1.5 million to R2.4 million at the SABC in one year.

The Public Protector's report advised the SABC to appoint a new COO within 90 days. Instead the SABC appointed Hlaudi Motsoeneng in the position permanently.

Gavin Davis, a member of parliament (MP) of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and a member of the portfolio committee on communications says in a statement that "the question needs to be asked whether the SABC can justify spending R3 million per year on an in-house choir. Surely it would be cheaper to commission the services of a professional choir if and when the need arises?"

"The fact is that the SABC can't afford unnecessary extravagances such as its own choir. As internal SABC financial documents recently brought to light by the Sunday Times show, the public broadcaster faces a loss of R501 million in this financial year," says Gavin Davis.

"The disbandment of the SABC choir should be at the top of the SABC’s list of cost-cutting measures."

Earlier this week, Faith Muthambi told parliament that the SABC is "in a sound financial state" and that "the SABC is on the move".

Faith Muthambi told parliament that during this financial year R173 million from the department of communications’ budget has been allocated to the SABC.

While Faith Muthambi promised parliament that a new SABC CEO would be in place by the end of September 2014, nine months later the position is still vacant.

The unstable SABC board characterised by vicious infighting has been without a permanent board chairperson for months since the resignation of Ellen Tshabalala following the embarrassing revelations that she had lied about her qualifications.

With originally 12 SABC board members but several resignations last year and purging of three further SABC board members – Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi – earlier this year, the SABC board no longer has a quorum to legally constitute meetings.

'SABC is in crisis, the scale of which is only starting to become clear,' says Democratic Alliance's Gavin Davis; SABC 'facing financial ruin'.

South Africa's minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, was slammed on Wednesday as "willfully misunderstanding her role in relation to the SABC" for saying the beleaguered public broadcaster is a state-owned company.

Gavin Davis, a Democratic Alliance (DA) member of parliament and a member of the portfolio committee on communications on Wednesday said the SABC is in crisis, "the scale of which is only starting to become clear" and that "the SABC is facing financial ruin".

He slammed Faith Muthambi, saying she "believes that the SABC is a state-owned company instead of an independent public broadcaster" and that South Africa will face "humiliation on a global scale" in less than a month when the country miss the internationally agreed to deadline to complete the switch from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT), a process known as digital migration.

Gavin Davis told parliament that Faith Muthambi has failed in her promise of a new SABC CEO to be appointed by September 2014 and that the SABC is being taken back to an apartheid era tool in the hands of ruling party politicians.

Gavin Davis told parliament that since a year ago "we've had an SABC board chairperson [Ellen Tshabalala] resign because she was caught lying about her qualifications. But this was only after 6 damaging months of postponed hearings, court cases and other delaying tactics".

"We've had an SABC chief operating officer (COO) [Hlaudi Motsoeneng] who has been shielded and promoted when the Public Protector said he should have been fired".

"We have a Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) that is abused to promote the majority party, including the channeling of public money into the coffers of a government-friendly newspaper owned by the president's friends".

"In a few weeks on 17 June, we face humiliation on a global scale because, on that day, we will miss the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) deadline to switch over from analogue to digital television".

"If Faith Muthambi had not spent the last year meddling with the Digital Migration Policy, and waging an obsessive turf war to control the process, it is unlikely that we would be in the embarrassing position we now find ourselves in," said Gavin Davis.

While she promised that a new SABC CEO would be in place by the end of September 2014, nine months later the post is still vacant.

"Faith Muthambi wants to take us back to the apartheid era when the SABC was a tool in the hands of politicians, instead of a resource belonging to the people of this country. This is why Faith Muthambi thinks there is nothing wrong with unilaterally seizing the powers of the SABC board, even though this is in clear contravention of the Broadcasting Act," said Gavin Davis.

He also noted that with Faith Muthambi directly interfering with the governance of the SABC and instrumental in the purging of three SABC board members - Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi - earlier this year, the unstable SABC board which has had only an acting SABC chairperson for months and originally had 12 board members, no longer has a quorum to legally constitute meetings.

"No wonder the SABC is in crisis, the scale of which is only starting to become clear," said Gavin Davis.

"The SABC faces a projected loss of R501 million for the financial year just ended on March 31. This loss is projected to double to R1 billion in the next financial year. The SABC is not on a 'sound financial footing but facing financial ruin," said Gavin Davis.

"We need to work together to find the most qualified and independently minded candidates to take up positions on the SABC board and then they need to be left alone to do their jobs in the interests of the public we serve. These steps will go some way to get the SABC back on track," said Gavin Davis.

SABC salary bill set to balloon by another R100 million as latest corporate plan notes revenues are constrained due to non-performing programming.

The SABC is set to spend R100 million more on staff salaries and paying SABC board members, while the public broadcaster warns in its new corporate plan for 2015/2016 to 2017/2018 that revenues are "constrained" since advertising clients are cutting back "as a result of declining TV audiences due to non-performance of critical programming".

Meanwhile president Jacob Zuma is weighing in on the ongoing instability at the SABC where three SABC board members were fired the past two weeks and says in a statement that the presidency is "looking into the matter with a view to finding a solution".

In its latest corporate plan, "a 7.5% increase has been included for permanent staff, board fees, freelancers, and various temporary staff requirements" by SABC executives. Meanwhile revenues from SABC TV licence fees are projected at R1 billion.

The SABC's latest corporate plan however cautions that the public broadcaster's commercial revenues are constrained due to tough economic conditions causing advertisers to "reduce their marketing and resultant advertising spend".

The SABC's latest corporate plan comes as four of the six SABC board members who were opposed to the permanent appointment of the SABC's famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng as chief operating officer (COO) have now been axed.

SABC board member Bongani Khumalo abruptly resigned in January, Hope Zinde was fired earlier in March and last week the remaining SABC board fired Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi. Krish Naidoo and Vusi Mavuso who were also opposed to Hlaudi Motsoeneng's permanent appointment remain.

Rachel Kalidass told Business Day that she is "still a member of the SABC board because the process used was unlawful. People are misquoting the Companies Act and taking no notice of the current parliamentary and legal process that is under way. This shows that the removals are motivated by malice and it is a purge."

In a statement Ronnie Lubisi says "the decision was illegally made in contravention of the Broadcasting Act 4 of 1999" and that he is seeking legal advice.

After the SABC board said Ronnie Lubisi and Rachel Kalidass were fired due to alleged fraudulent conduct and non-disclusore of conflict of interest among board members, Ronnie Lubisi says he views "the decision of the board and such statements as unfortunate".

"I have been registered as an auditor with the Independent Regulatory Board of Auditors and South African Institute of Chartered Accountants for the past 14 years. In all that time I have always conducted my business with absolute adherence to the professional and ethical requirements of my profession."

"I shall welcome an independent enquiry by a duly authorised body into my conduct as an SABC board member," says Ronnie Lubisi.

In a statement issued Monday evening president Jacob Zuma's spokesperson Mac Maharaj says "the president, who appoints members of the SABC board on the advice of the National Assembly, views stability and good corporate governance at the SABC as being of paramount importance. He is looking into the matter with a view to finding a solution".

On Thursday, 2 April, parliament's portfolio committee on communications will start the interviews with the shortlisted candidates to replace the disgraced former SABC chairperson Ellen Tshabalala who resigned in mid-December 2014 after she was mired in a scandal about lying about tertiary qualifications she never had.

The five candidates shortlisted to become a new SABC board member are Saskia Janine Hickey, Ntomizandile Lesame (academic), Keabatswe Modimoeng (businessman), Jenni Irish-Quobosheane (former civilian police secretary) and Ashwin Trikamjee (attorney).

Fired SABC board member Hope Zinde says she got nothing from the SABC and is still a SABC board member.

In yet another new scandal, although the SABC said in a statement "all stakeholders were informed" the fired SABC board member Hope Zinde says she got nothing and says that she is definitely still a SABC board member.

In a statement the fired Hope Zinde says "I want to assure you that I am still very much a member of the board of the SABC."

The SABC said that Hope Zinde has been removed as a SABC board member following a vote of no confidence in her on Thursday. The SABC said in its statement that "the decision in this regard has already been communicated to all the relevant stakeholders".

Hope Zinde says she heard about her ousting in the media and received no documentation.

On Friday the SABC moved quickly to remove all trace of Hope Zinde from its website - besides the news stories from SABC News that she's been voted out of the SABC board - with Hope Zinde's profile which was removed from the SABC's website listing the current SABC board.

Hope Zinde was one of the SABC board members who questioned the alleged undue interference of South Africa's minister of communications Faith Muthambi in the workings of the SABC board and warned that Faith Muthabi is diluting the powers of the SABC board to run the SABC.

"Why are we on the board, to just rubber-stamp? I do not agree," said Hope Zinde.

In January, SABC board member Prof Bongani Khumalo resigned, allegedly also because of the minister of communications Faith Muthambi's interference who allegedly sent letters to the board members asking why they should not be suspended.

"I was shocked to learn from the media that I have been removed from the SABC board," said Hope Zinde on Friday in a statement.

"I am currently awaiting a process to unfold through the appointing authority, parliament and the presidency, to look into a matter I have been alleged to have committed."

"The acting chairperson Prof Obert Maguvhe and the SABC board members who supported him to carry out this illegal act - unquorated as they were - acted unlawfully by proceeding with a matter without any inquiry, facts nor evidence to prove the allegations that I divulged board matters to the ANC communications stakeholder lekgotla," says Hope Zinde.

SABC dumps board member Hope Zinde who questioned the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi's interference in the SABC board.

The SABC board on Thursday dumped director Hope Zinde from the board following a vote of no confidence - with suggestions that there might be more SABC board changes soon, the SABC saying in a statement Thursday's meeting "managed to only deal with issues relating to one non-executive director Hope Zinde".

The SABC board said it passed "a vote of no confidence and resolved to remove her as a non-executive director with effect from Thursday".

The SABC board met to discuss the conduct of some SABC board members, with the previous SABC chairperson Ellen Zandile Tshabalala who've resigned, who said the public broadcaster's board is furious with people leaking information to the press.

Hope Zinde was one of the SABC board members who questioned the alleged undue interference of South Africa's minister of communications Faith Muthambi in the workings of the SABC board and warned that Faith Muthabi is diluting the powers of the SABC board to run the SABC.

"Why are we on the board, to just rubber-stamp? I do not agree," said Hope Zinde.

In January, SABC board member Prof Bongani Khumalo resigned, allegedly also because of the minister of communications Faith Muthambi's interference who allegedly sent letters to the board members asking why they should not be suspended.