ANC announces that Humphrey Maxegwana is taking over from Joyce Moloi-Moropa as chairperson of parliament's portfolio committee on communications.

Humphrey Maxegwana is replacing and taking over from Joyce Moloi-Moropa as the chairperson of parliament's portfolio committee on communications.

Parliament's portfolio committee, comprising members of parliament (MP's) from the various political parties in South Africa, are tasked with a governmental oversight role over parastatal and state entities ranging from the broadcasting regulator, Icasa, to the South African public broadcaster, the SABC.

The ANC political party announced that the communications committee will now be chaired by Humphrey Maxegwana, who takes over from Joyce Moloi-Moropa who decided to quit at the end of 2015 and resigned.

Humphrey Maxegwana's move is part of several portfolio committee chairperson changes in parliament that the ANC announced on Thursday.

Filling of 3 of 6 long-vacant SABC board seats delayed even further due to parliamentary staff strike and a delay with State Security Agency checking qualifications.

The long-delayed filling of vacant positions on the unstable SABC board is being delayed even further since the checking of the qualifications of the shortlisted candidates has not yet been finished and finalised.

The latest delay in getting the empty SABC board positions filled was revealed today by parliament's portfolio committee on communications.

Controversially, the process is of filling empty SABC board member positions is shockingly only for 3 out of 6 empty positions. While the process to fill 3 vacant positions, there is another 3 empty SABC board member seats vacant for months, of which the process hasn't even started for.

After the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi intervened with the SABC board and fired SABC board members while others quit, several positions have remained empty for the larger part of 2015 as the public broadcaster keeps lurching from the one crisis and scandal to the next.

The process of filling the empty SABC board seats which was readvertised last month, is continuing since the State Security Agency is still busy checking the shortlisted candidates.

The process has also been delayed due to the strike by parliamentary staff.

Joyce Moloi-Moropa, the chairperson of the portfolio committee on communications who herself will apparently soon be gone after she's given notice that she's quitting, told the committee on Tuesday that the process to fill the long-delayed SABC board positions will only be for the first three.

"Until such time the president brings the other three vacancies [under anybody's attention], this is all we are dealing with," said Joyce Moloi-Moropa.

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."

SABC says the SABC Encore channel is available on 'all DStv packages' - only it's not. MultiChoice keeps it off some DStv packages.

Talk about mixed messages and confusing communication to consumers: While the SABC has been saying and telling viewers that the new rerun channel SABC Encore (DStv 156) is "available on all DStv packages" and saying SABC Encore is "for all DStv subscribers", it's not.

MultiChoice is not giving SABC Encore as a channel to all its pay-TV customers and keeping it restricted from certain DStv packages.

The SABC has repeatedly said on-air and in interviews that the SABC Encore channel, with repeat programming from the SABC's archives, will be available to all DStv subscribers.

The SABC's SABC News reported that SABC Encore "will be available on all the DStv bouquets".

MultiChoice says it never said SABC Encore would be available on all DStv packages.

The SABC Encore channel, filled with locally-produced golden oldies from the SABC's apartheid-era 70's, 80's and 90's days, launched on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform on Monday.

MultiChoice, in response to a media enquiry said it announced in April that SABC Encore as a channel would only be available to DStv Premium, DStv Extra, DStv Compact and DStv Family customers.

Subscribers who pay for cheaper entry-level DStv packages like DStv Access, DStv EasyView, or one of the legacy DStv Select packages, are not given access to the SABC Encore channel by MultiChoice.

"Being a teacher, I sadly do not get enough time to watch TV, so I am only on the DStv EasyView bouquet," a DStv subscriber told TV with Thinus on Tuesday.

"I phoned MultiChoice hoping to get SABC Encore if I upgrade to DStv Access. I was then told of the bouquets to find it on," said the subscriber.

In a statement parliament's portfolio committee on communications said SABC Encore is exclusive to DStv pay-TV subscribers but that the committee believes that SABC Encore should be accessible "on either one of the free-to-air TV platforms including SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3".

"The corporation remains a public broadcaster and should be accessible to the public," says Joyce Moloi-Moropa, chairperson of parliament's portfolio committee on communications.

"The committee believes that the advent of digital terrestrial television (DTT) will transform the broadcasting sector in providing quality coverage and access to all SABC TV channels".

"While the committee applauds the SABC for the job well done, the corporation should not relent on the task at hand, which is to transform channels SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 to reflect locally based content," says Joyce Moloi-Moropa.

A new crisis hits the SABC board - nobody wants to be on it. Parliament concerned over only 24 applications for 2 positions; postpones process.

With the severely damaged public reputation of the SABC and ongoing drama at the beleaguered public broadcaster another crisis has been created: South African citizens are no longer willing to serve as readily on the unstable SABC board marred by acrimonious in-fighting and plagued by government interference as people once were.

A new crisis has hit the SABC and the SABC board: nobody apparently wants to be on it.

From hundreds of applications in the past when an SABC board position opened, its plunged to only a shocking 24 applications which were received - for two positions.

Meanwhile instability continues with the SABC board still without a permanent SABC board chairperson - a vacancy which has also not yet been filled.

Prof. Obert Maguvhe has been serving as acting SABC chairperson for almost half a year now after the shamed Ellen Tshabalala abruptly resigned in mid-December 2014 after being exposed for fraudulent credentials.

Ellen Tshabalala lied about tertiary qualifications she didn't have but claimed she "did nothing wrong" despite being found guilty on two charges by parliament's portfolio committee on communications, tasked with oversight of the struggling public broadcaster.

The call for applications for a new SABC chairperson led to 97 applications received but in the months since her departure has not yet been filled.

While five candidates out of the 97 were shortlisted by parliament not a single interview for new SABC chairperson has taken place.

Meanwhile the public broadcaster continues to make daily news headlines for all the wrong reasons similar to struggling and crises-riddled parastatals SAA and Eskom.

Since the beginning of the year other another three SABC board members - Rachel Kalidass, Ronnie Lubisi and Hope Zinde - were all fired by the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, saying she can do so under the Companies Act because the SABC is a state-owned firm, instead of the Broadcasting Act which directs the workings of the public broadcaster.

Besides those three SABC board posts not yet filled - only 24 applications were received for the vacant positions of yet another two "empties": that of Thembinkosi Bonakele and Prof. Bongani Khumalo.

Thembinkosi Bonakele quit the SABC board almost a year ago in June 2014 with Faith Muthambi taking months to tell parliament. A fed-up Prof. Bongani Khumalo, tired of government interference in the SABC board abruptly quit in January 2015.

The crisis with a lack of people with experience and a background in broadcasting and management willing to serve on the SABC board, is raising fears that people have now become scared to damage their career CV's if the potential exists for their names ending up in lurid headlines, or getting removed as a board director if there's backstage drama.

The crisis with too few applications for the SABC board which originally had 12 members, has now led parliament's portfolio committee on communications to postpone the process of finding and replacing SABC board members.

Portfolio committee chairperson Joyce Moloi-Moropa admitted yesterday that there exists a perception problem, since the position of permanent SABC chairperson has not yet been filled, while further vacant positions for SABC board positions had been advertised.

Gavin Davis, Democratic Alliance (DA) MP and member of the portfolio committee yesterday requested that the vacant positions for SABC board members be readvertised. "I must be honest, I can't find that much quality among these 24 candidates and that is going to leave us with a problem."

Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP and member of the portfolio committee said that the low number and quality of applications reflect a crisis for the SABC and the country.

"If the vacancies were properly advertised then this country is in a crisis because these CV's were difficult," he said.

The portfolio committee on communications now wants to relook at the 97 applications received for SABC chairperson, to possibly use and sift through those to fill the growing gaping holes on the SABC board.

Joyce Moloi-Moropa said parliament's legal advisors will be asked about the legality of including the 97 CV's for the SABC chairperson position.

Parliament blasts SABC: 'Everything at the SABC remains a permament drama, like a drama that comes on the SABC at 8 o' clock every night'.

Parliament on Friday blasted the SABC as furious members of parliament's portfolio committee on communications took turns to lash out at the South African public broadcaster.

Even the new minister of communications, as well as the portfolio committee's chairperson didn't hold back - respectively describing the SABC as "plagued by a myriad of problems" and that "the SABC remains dysfunctional", as well as saying that "there's a dark cloud hanging over the SABC".

A lot of their outrage was directed at the SABC's controversial and famously matricless acting chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng (pictured above).

The member of parliament Mbuyiseni Ndlozi from the EFF party, said that "Hlaudi Motsoeneng, that the Public Protector's report has had to speak about - which we are waiting to hear when is he getting fired - wakes up in the morning and says that we must license journalists. Running an institution that is supposed to be engaged in journalism, that is supposed to be reporting the news".

"He's supposed to be the number one defender of the SABC of the freedom of expression, of the freedom of the media".

"I find it very hard that we can entrust the SABC to walk out of the crisis it's been in since 2007 when the SABC leadership doesn't take these issues seriously. When is Hlaudi Motsoeneng getting fired? When?" asked Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.

"Everything at the SABC remains a permanent drama, like a drama that comes on the SABC at 8 o' clock every night".

"Get leadership stability, improvement of TV channels. The most important questions that will restore legitimacy for the public is to respond to the leadership questions and the Public Protector's report on Hlaudi Motsoeneng," said Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.

"What is preventing the SABC from suspending Hlaudi Motsoeneng? Surely he cannot continue at this organisation?" asked Gavin Davis, from the DA political party.

"The SABC remains in a perpetual crisis, it's losing market share, it's losing audiences, it's losing money from advertisers going elsewhere. There's needs to be an injection of talent to make the SABC a viable institution," said Marian Shinn, from the DA political party.

"Your own SABC commissioned marketing research shows that your losing market share and credibility, particularly with SABC News. No-one trusts the SABC news".

"The SABC is looking for customers of the SABC's archives. Well, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, last year you gave away the SABC archives to MultiChoice. They have the rights to your archives - not part of it, all of it. The contract says 'the archive'. So what on earth have you got left to sell to anybody else?"

"Last year I asked who is going to pay for the digitisation of the SABC archive materialso that MultiChoice could use it to launch their 24-hour SABC entertainment channel."

"The answer came back that the money - just over R300 for the entertainment side of the MultiChoice SABC deal would be used to digitise the material. Is that being done? Why has the SABC entertainment TV channel not gone live? It should have gone live in November 2013 and there's no sign of it," said Marian Shinn.

Joyce Moloi-Moropa, chairperson of the portfolio committee on communications said: "There is a dark cloud hanging over the SABC. Everytime everyone talks SABC that cloud hangs on top there. It is upon the SABC itself to clear that cloud".

"If the SABC doesn't take it upon itself to remove that cloud, surely it will remain a cloud that will be permanently over it. We do need a very credible SABC in the country. We appeal to the SABC to undergo a self-cleansing process whereby it becomes credible".

Faith Muthambi, South Africa's new minister of communications said "the SABC has been plagued by a myriad of problems in the past and currently" and that "the SABC remains dysfunctional and requires urgent attention from me".

'There is a dark cloud hanging over the SABC. We appeal to the SABC to undergo a self-cleansing process whereby it becomes credible'.

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There is a dark cloud hanging over the SABC and the South African public broadcaster will have to undergo a "self-cleansing" to become credible, says the new chairperson of parliament's portfolio committee on communications, Joyce Moloi-Moropa.

Parliament's portfolio committee on communications is tasked with oversight of the beleaguered South African public broadcaster which has been lurching from crisis to crisis for over half a decade amidst ongoing top executive and management problems, as well as governance and maladministration issues.

"There is a dark cloud hanging over the SABC. Everytime everyone talks about the SABC that cloud hangs on top there," Joyce Moloi-Moropa said on Friday.

"It is upon the SABC itself to clear that cloud. If the SABC doesn't take it upon itself to remove that cloud, surely it will remain a cloud that will be permanently over it".

"We do need a very credible SABC in the country. We appeal to the SABC to undergo a self-cleansing process whereby it becomes credible," Joyce Moloi-Moropa implored the SABC.