South Africa's public broadcaster finally gets a new SABC board after 6 months after president Cyril Ramaphosa is threatened with Constitutional Court.

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's struggling public broadcaster finally got a new SABC board on Tuesday after the country's recalcitrant president Cyril Ramaphosa bowed under increasing pressure and signed the list of names sent to him months ago, in an overdue process he delayed even further. 

In a statement from the presidency, issued on Tuesday, it said that "In terms of section 13(3) of the Broadcasting Act president Ramaphosa designated Khathutshelo Ramukumba as chairperson and Nomvuyiso Batyi as the deputy chairperson of the SABC board".

The statement noted that "The SABC is a vital institution of our constitutional democracy. I trust the newly appointed board members will work hard at ensuring that South Africa continues to benefit from a stable, independent and effective national public broadcaster."

Cyril Ramaphosa was forced to rubberstamp the names on his desk after growing pressure from public broadcasting lobby groups like the SOS Coalition and Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) who said they won't stop even if its required to take the president and the delay with the SABC board appointments all the way to South Africa's Constitutional Court.

Besides Khathutshelo Ramukumba and Nomvuyiso Batyi, the people forming part of the new SABC board are Dr Renee Horne, Adv Tseliso Thipanyane, Aifheli Makhwanya, Phathiswa Magopeni, Magdalene Moonsamy, Rearabetsoe Motaung, David Maimela, Dinkwanyane Mohuba, Mpho Tsedu and Palesa Kadi.

The inclusion of the highly respected Phathiswa Magopeni is noteworthy since she is the former head of SABC News who was fired after she revealed shocking allegations of ANC political interference in the SABC News newsroom by former SABC chairman Bongumusa Makhathini and SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe.

The distressed SABC is facing gargantuan challenges - both financial, management, corporate governance and ratings-wise, with the SABC hurtling to yet another financial loss during this financial year projected at R608 million.

The contracts of the top executives like SABC CEO, COO and CFO all are expiring at the end of June and all of these appointments require SABC board approval.

In addition, the SABC which launched its own SABC+ streamer in November, continues to face the relentless onslaught of global streamers like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video exerting their dominance in South Africa while gobbling up subscribers as they fortify their staffing ranks with South Africa's top film and TV executives in their plans to ramp up local content production output.

The broadcaster's desperate top executives have so far tried in vain since late-2022 to implement some financial turnaround strategies for which they have been unable to get board approval for since the SABC has been limping along with any board for over half a year.

After 4 months without one, legal action looms over CEO's 'appointment' as SABC board.

by Thinus Ferreira

Today marks exactly four months of the unstable South African public broadcaster having no board, with public pressure groups saying they're preparing to go to court over the illegal move by the minister of communications, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, to appoint SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe to act as if he's the SABC board.

The former SABC board's term expired on 15 October 2022, with no replacement board in place. 

It follows after politicians serving on parliament's portfolio committee on communications waited too late to start the public process to interview for new board candidates, after which president Cyril Ramaphosa failed since December 2022 to rubberstamp the list of 12 names put forth by parliament excluding two contentious names involved in conflict of interests.  

According to Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Madoda Mxakwe has suddenly been "designated by the minister of communications and digital technologies with the concurrence of the minister of finance as the board of the SABC" - a shocking move that the SOS Coalition and Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) say they're "deeply concerned" about.

Uyanda Siyotula, SOS Coalition coordinator, says in a statement the "SOS Coalition and MMA believe the decision is unlawful and that the two ministers exceeded their powers".

"On a simple basis of good governance, it cannot surely be legitimate for one individual to be given board powers and make decisions that otherwise require 15 members of which 12 are non-executive members."

"The minister's assertion that the CEO is the board is at odds with even the most rudimentary elements of governing the SABC."

"It is the failure by parliament to fulfill its mandate in a timeous manner coupled with the president's failure to act swiftly to appoint the SABC board that has resulted in us being in a scenario where we now must contend with the absurdity of a CEO being the SABC board."

"The public was not informed of the decision when it was taken and its basis which raises further questions about the decision. The lack of transparency gives credence to rumoured political interference and orchestrated delay tactics in appointing the board," the SOS Coalition and MMA say.

According to them "there is currently no accountability and no oversight at the SABC because the current gimmicks do not amount to adequate governance".

"We know of at least two key decisions that have been taken in the absence of the SABC board. These include; a submission pertaining to the Analogue Switch Off (ASO) date due to the ministry on 27 January 2023. It is not clear who made the submission and on what basis it can be an SABC position when there was no Board."

"The public then learned of the launch of a 24-hour news channel in January 2023."

"Who oversees the implementation of the activities? Who is SABC management accountable to? Are the decisions being taken based on resolutions of the previous board and are they being implemented accordingly without deviation?"

According to Uyanda Siyotula the Broadcasting Act 13(13) doesn't make any provision for SABC executives to be appointed in the absence of the SABC board.

"Thus, we believe the appointment of the SABC CEO as the accounting authority is illegal and a breach of the Broadcasting Act."

"Seven weeks have passed since the president received the recommended names on 20 December 2022. We ask that the president proceeds to make appointments of the 10 candidates that aren't implicated as the board would still quorate."

"It is unacceptable to have the SABC be without a board for more than 16 weeks. The vacuum created by the absence of a board is causing further damage and deepening an entirely preventable crisis. SOS and MMA demand the urgent appointment of the SABC Board - in the public interest."

"SOS and MMA are currently taking legal advice and will act on an urgent basis if necessary."

SABC: Boardless for 3 months and counting as loss-making public broadcaster's revenue generating plans slip away.

by Thinus Ferreira

This week marks an unprecedented three months - and counting - that the unstable and cash-strapped SABC has been without any board, as the doors are closing on some new revenue-generating plans that the South African public broadcaster's executives came up with to try and stem losses but which all require board approval before they can be implemented. 

The SABC has been lurching along boardless since mid-October 2022 - the fault of politicians and the tardiness of parliament's portfolio committee on communications.

The ANC-controlled parliamentary committee, despite multiple prior warnings in 2022 that the term of the then SABC board was coming to an end, started the process too late to advertise, do interviews and compile a shortlist of candidates to be rubberstamped by president Cyril Ramaphosa.

Meanwhile the time in Cyril Ramaphosa's diary in late-2022 and early-2023 got consumed by the ANC's 55th national conference in December 2022 and to secure his second term as president of the ANC, as well as South Africa's dramatically worsening electricity supply crisis due to a crippled Eskom.

Last week Vincent Magwenya, presidency spokesperson, said that from the president's side there "is an appreciation of the urgency of finalising the process. There was a slight administration and logistical delay towards the end of last year" and that "an announcement is imminent and the process is being finalised".

As a result, a rudderless SABC which is once again heading for yet another loss-making year and is projecting to announce a R608 million loss for its 2022/2023 financial year, has been unable to get board sign-off on some new revenue-generating plans.

These plans - although not able to put the SABC back in the green - would have shaved some millions off of the latest projected loss. Now the SABC has already lost at least one quarter of its latest financial year unable to make more money. 

Ian Plaatjes, SABC COO, made it clear to parliament's portfolio committee that some of these plans are stalling because they specifically require SABC board approval.

Plans like new external sales deals whereby some airtime sales for timeslots on SABC radio and TV are outsourced to third-party companies, could for instance net the SABC R30 million in additional income but can't yet be put into operation since there isn't a board to sign off on these plans.

'The SABC needs a board now'

"The SABC needs a board now," says the SOS: Support Public Broadcasting Coalition pressure group.

"It's now three months since the term of office of the previous SABC board expired on 15 October 2022. The litany of undue delays in appointing the board continues to hamper the institution's efficiency and strategic direction," says Uyanda Siyotula, SOS national coordinator.

"The SOS Coalition is concerned that a significant public institution has been without a board for three months – this has not happened before."

"There are critical issues that need board intervention and approval that are currently on hold."

The SOS Coalition says it is "disappointed by the lackadaisical attitude of the National Assembly in sending the recommended names to the president some 14 days after they were finalised with no explanation as to the reason for the delay".

"The decision taken at the ANC conference in December to replace TV licenses with a household broadcasting levy needs the SABC to strategise on the most adequate implementation process and resource allocation to ensure a swift transition and is likely to need board intervention."

"Further, the looming Analogue Switch Off (ASO) date of 31 March 2023, recently announced by the minister of communications and digital technologies, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, will require a new strategic direction for the institution as it stands to lose part of the 68% audience from the remaining four provinces that still distribute analogue SABC television signals."

The SOS Coalition says that "the minister has set 27 January as the date for interested parties to make submissions on this issue. How is the board supposed to be appointed, inducted and be able to make a comprehensive submission on the biggest threat to its financial viability that it has ever faced?"

About the shortlisted candidates whose names were put forward to comprise the new SABC board, the SOS Coalition says that Dinkwanyane Mohuba should not be appointed until such time as the Supreme Court of Appeal has cleared his name of allegations relating to a fraudulent qualification.

"Nomvuyiso Batyi should be appointed to the SABC board only on condition that she immediately resigns as the CEO of the Association of Communications and Technology. Mpho Tsedu should be appointed to the SABC board only on condition that he immediately resigns as a special advisor to the DCDT and its ministry".

Communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni now wants CEO Madoda Mxakwe to be accounting authority of boardless SABC, says broadcaster isn't affected without directors.

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni now wants SABC CEO Madoda to be the struggling public broadcaster's accounting authority since there's no board of directors who are legally required to fulfil this role, and says the SABC isn't negatively affected by not having a board of directors.

The plan comes after South Africa's failed to appoint a new SABC board after the previous board's term expired on 15 October 2022.

Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, South Africa's minister of communications and digital technologies, in a written response to a question from the EFF political party's MP Vuyani Pambo, noted that the department has now asked the country's National Treasury for the SABC CEO to be made the broadcaster's accounting authority and that the SABC is allegedly not negatively affected by the lack of a board of directors.

Vuyani Pambo wanted to know what the impact is of the month-long and accounting delay of parliament's portfolio committee on communications to select candidates from a shortlist to be rubberstamped by president Cyril Ramaphosa as the new SABC board.

The last SABC board's term ended on 15 October with the broadcaster rudderless since then with no board of directors. Previously an illegal plan was hacked to try and stock the SABC board with "temporary SABC board members".

The portfolio committee on communications which started too late with the process blames South Africa State Security Agency (SSA) for taking too long to do security vetting and background checks of the shortlisted candidates.

The SSA in turn blames the South African police, saying there is an issue with the police's fingerprint system.

Khumbudzo Ntshavheni in her written reply said that the SABC being without a board was not impacted negatively by anything and that the SABC isn't run by its board of directors.

"In terms of the SABC's corporate plan, there are no scheduled matters that cannot be processed by the entity without board approval," Khumbudzo Ntshavheni wrote.

She also suggested in her response that if things do come up that need SABC board decisions, that sections of South Africa's Public Finance Management Act could be activated to deal with that.

"The department has since requested the approval of the National Treasury regarding the designation of the CEO as an accounting authority of the SABC," Khumbudzo Ntshavheni noted.

ALSO READ: South Africa's public broadcaster now a Month without a SABC board as dysfunctional parliament committee now blames problem with police's fingerprint system in vetting.

South Africa's public broadcaster now a Month without a SABC board as dysfunctional parliament committee now blames problem with police's fingerprint system in vetting.

by Thinus Ferreira

Today, 15 November 2022, marks a month that South Africa's struggling public broadcaster is coasting rudderless without a SABC board, due to the laziness and dysfunctional portfolio committee on communications in South Africa's parliament who failed to do their job, with the latest excuse being that the South African police's fingerprint system has a problem.

Shockingly, there is no indication, notification or guidance from parliament's portfolio committee chairperson Boyce Maneli, on when it plans to sit and make a final shortlist of 12 people and to essentially "appoint" a new SABC board.

Boyce Maneli shamelessly lied and said a new SABC board would be recommended by the end of October and no later than the beginning of November. It's now mid-November.

The term of the previous SABC board expired on 15 October with parliament's portfolio committee on communications, supposed to shortlist and send a list of names to the general assembly to be rubberstamped by president Cyril Ramaphosa, who were warned in time but failed to start in time to do interviews to make appointments to a new SABC board.

Public Interest SA, an independent civic body, warns that the delay in appointing a new SABC board could seriously destabilise the South African public broadcaster and lead to a catastrophic situation.

Boyce Maneli from parliament's portfolio committee on communications is trying to blame the committee's failure on the State Security Agency (SSA) who is claimed to be "slow" in vetting the shortlisted 34 candidates who were interviewed for board positions in September.

It's however the committee members who were warned and knew full well that they had to start the process, who waited too long and left the process too late.

The vetting of four candidates is still outstanding.

Now Boyce Maneli is also blaming the South African police service, saying that according to the SSA, there is an issue and problem with the police's fingerprint system which is used in the vetting process.

Diane Kohler Barnard, Democratic Alliance MP, in parliament, said "The SABC has sat for months with no board and the State Security Agency is being blamed yet we're given a minuscule amount to do the vetting of the 34 final candidates".

Vuyani Pambo, Economic Freedom Fighters MP, said "While we are gathered here the SABC is still without a board since the term of its board expires. This is the most serious indicator of the dysfunctionality of this parliament".

With just days before SABC board term expires after lazy parliament committee's failure to make appointments, illegal plan hatched to stock South African public broadcaster with temporary board members.

by Thinus Ferreira

With just days before the current SABC board's term expires, behind closed doors an illegal plan is being hatched by lazy parliamentarians to stock the struggling South African public broadcaster with "temporary" board members following the shocking failure of members of parliament's portfolio committee on communications to appoint members for a new SABC board in time.

The SOS Coalition is slamming the illegal plan and lazy politicians, saying a temporary SABC board can't simply be appointed "because parliament has failed to do its job in time".

Knowing full well how long the process takes, and having been warned to start the process early enough and apparently not caring, South Africa's troubled public broadcaster now once again lurching into yet another crisis when it will end up without a permanent SABC board when the term of the existing SABC board expires on Saturday.

The dire failure is the mistake, laziness and lackadaisical attitude of the members of parliament on the portfolio committee who failed to start the process of seeking candidates for a new 12-member SABC board early enough.

There has not been enough time for South Africa's State Security Agency (SSA) to complete the vetting process of the 34 shortlisted candidates.

In a statement Boyce Maneli, chairperson of parliament's portfolio committee on communication and digital technologies, blatantly lies when saying the committee did "everything that it ought". They clearly didn't.

"The committee did everything that it ought to do insofar as the recruitment process is concerned. However, it regrets the possibility of not being able to recommend timeously candidates to the National Assembly and the appointing authority (the president) due to lack of vetting, which is out of the committee's purview."

Boyce Maneli now wants to make as if the shocking lack of the appointment of a new SABC board in time, is the fault of South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, when it is in fact the failure of Boyce Maneli and parliament's portfolio committee.

'Interim' SABC board illegal

The SOS Coalition is warning against the appointment of a so-called "interim" SABC board, saying it is "alarmed by the suggestion that an interim SABC board may be appointed".

"Present circumstances do not warrant an appointment of an interim SABC board," says Uyanda Siyotula, SOS Coalition coordinator.

"The appointment of an interim SABC board is an unusual circumstance and the rationales for it and the processes for appointing are set out in law in section 15A(3) of the Broadcasting Act, 1999. The only circumstance in which an interim board can be appointed by parliament is set out in section 15A(3) when the president, upon the recommendation contained in a National Assembly resolution dissolves an existing SABC board".

"Given that the existing SABC board is in place and operational, the SABC board has not been dissolved and not a single board member has been found to have been guilty of misconduct or unable to perform his or her functions, there is no basis for the appointment of an interim SABC board," the SOS Coalition says.

"The Act does not make any allowance for the appointment of an interim Board because parliament has failed to do its job in time."

The SOS Coalitions says that parliament's portfolio committee on communications "has been aware, for years now, that the term of office for the current SABC board ends on 15 October 2022, and it, of course, should have commenced the process well in advance."

"The public has been involved in the latest SABC board appointment process through making nominations, and making submissions on the shortlisted candidates, and parliament has completed all of the interviews. There is no reason why Parliament cannot simply finish the job and make recommendations to the president who in turn should make his choice of board members from list of recommended candidates."

"It is entirely unlawful for parliament to now try to circumvent the legislated process set out for board appointments in section 13 of the Broadcasting Act."

"The actual reason for the proposed appointment has nothing to do with the dissolution of the existing SABC board, it is the fact that the State Security Agency (SSA) is apparently unable to vet candidates timeously."

"In addition to the unlawfulness of an interim board at this point, it also doesn’t help to avoid the reality that those members would also have to be subjected to SSA clearance. We are strongly opposed to the idea of an interim SABC board."

The SOS Coalition says "It is indisputable that the many hurdles must be laid at the door of parliament's portfolio committee on communications. The SOS Coalition has repeatedly raised concerns about the role oversight structures played in the demise of the SABC. The committee's failure to run a smooth appointment process and appoint a suitable SABC board within the prescribed timeframe, is yet another example."

"The SOS Coalition wrote to the committee on 23 June 2022, enquiring about the public call for nominations that had not yet commenced and voicing out concerns about a rushed and compromised process, and the possibility of missing the deadline. Public nominations only closed in August, hence we blame the committee for waiting to be reminded of its duties and, even then, being tardy in carrying them out."

"The SABC continues to face challenges, particularly given its recent poor financial performance, the loss of R201 million in 2021/2022 financial year. It needs the continued stability of a properly constituted SABC board."

"The SOS Coalition calls for a timeous appointment of an SABC board, made up of members of the best possible calibre and skillset, that will work towards the continued stabilization of the SABC by continuing the turn-around initiated by the current board and ensuring that its role as a public institution supporting democracy is protected."

The SABC's latest Game of Thrones twist: Axed news boss and economics editor could return - as SABC board members.

by Thinus Ferreira

In the latest palace intrigue at South Africa's embattled public broadcaster, both its former fired SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni, as well as its former economics editor who quit last year Thandeka Gqubule-Mbeki, could possibly return - as SABC board members.

Phathiswa Magopeni and Thandeka Gqubule-Mbeki are among the 37 shortlisted candidates for vacancies on the SABC board, and could possibly return, Game of Thrones-style, to the broadcasting castle and the rulers of the airwaves who worked to oust them.

Shortlisted from 120 nominations, interviews with the 37 shortlisted candidates for SABC board seats will take place between 13 and 16 September, with their CVs published until 22 September 2022 for public comments. The term of the current SABC board expires on 15 October 2022.

Phathiswa Magopeni was fired in January 2022 following a disciplinary hearing, blaming her for the airing of an episode of the now-cancelled Special Assigment programme on SABC3 and SABC News (DStv 404) while it was still subject to a court interdict.

Phathiswa Magopeni accused Bongumusa Makhathini, SABC chairperson, and Madoda Mxakwe, SABC CEO, of alleged editorial interference, and revealed that ANC officials like Fikile Mbalula and the late Jessie Duarte had interfered and verbally abused SABC News journalists.

Thandeka Qhubule-Mbeki, the SABC's former economics editor who also faced a disciplinary hearing quit the SABC in April 2021, alleging multiple instances of governance and policy breaches at the SABC and tolerance for fraud and corruption at the public broadcaster.

Thandeka Qhubule-Mbeki became known as one of the so-called "SABC 8" journalists who were fired - and later reinstated - for opposing the SABC News editorial changes mandated by the controversial then-COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

The current deputy SABC chairperson Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi, the current SABC board member Prof Sathasivan Cooper, and the former SABC News presenter Mpho Tsedu also made the shortlist.

Also making the shortlist are former SABC News journalist and currently non-executive SABC director since June 2022 Dr Renee Horne; current SABC board members David Maimela, Dinkwanyane Kgalema Mohuba, Jack Phalane; former SABC board member Lumko Mtimde; the former SABC Radio news editor Prof Franz Krüger; the former 5FM station manager, M-Net exec and Power98.7FM and Classic 1027 FM  programming boss Lance Rothschild, and the former SABC TV boss Quentin Green.

A mindboggling inclusion on the shortlist is the suspended and controversial CEO of the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRSA), Mamodupi Mohlala.

Mamodupi Mohlala stands accused of having made multiple irregular appointments at the PPRSA, as well as being responsible for fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

The shortlist of 37 candidates are:

Adv T Thipanyane

Dr O van Heerden

Ms C Stimpel

Dr R Horne

Ms F Skweyiya Gushu

Ms L Maepa

Mr D Maimela

Ms M Mohlala Mulaudzi

Mr D Mohuba

Ms M Moonsamy

Mr J Phalane

Ms M Titi

Mr K Moshounyane

Ms N Bapela

Mr K Ramukumba

Ms N Batyi

Mr L Mtimde

Ms N Matyumza

Mr L Rothschild

Ms N Mda

Mr L Zita

Ms P Kadi

Mr M Tsedu

Ms P Tshangana Magopeni

Mr P Mashile

Ms R Motaung

Mr Q Green

Ms S Daya

Mr S Bokaba

Ms T Gqubule-Mbeki

Mr T Fakude

Ms Y Sikunyana

Mr Z Metthews

Prof F Krüger

Mr Z Zamisa

Prof S Cooper

Ms A Makhwanya

Implicated SABC board chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini wants Mary Papayya gone from case over alleged SABC News editorial interference around Cyril Ramaphosa election interview since she's a member of Sanef as news boss Phathiswa Magopeni's disciplinary hearing looms.

by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC board has split after the implicated chairperson of the South African public broadcaster, Bongumusa Makhathini wants SABC board member Mary Papayya removed from a serious grievance over alleged SABC News editorial interference involving president Cyril Ramaphosa because she is a member of the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef).

Meanwhile the disciplinary hearing of the SABC News boss, Phathiswa Magopeni - that the SABC wants to keep secret - is set for this coming week, with Phathiswa Magopeni who is charged with alleged negligence and bringing the SABC into disrepute, who made the serious allegation that Bongumusa Makhathini and SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe are both guilty of political editorial interference of SABC News.

The Sunday Times newspaper on Sunday reported that Bongumusa Makhathini - who himself is implicated in the serious grievance of alleged SABC News editorial interference - wants SABC board member Mary Papayya gone from deliberations over a grievance of allegations of editorial interference since she is a member of Sanef.

Sanef has demanded that the disciplinary hearing of Phathiswa Magopeni, given the seriousness of the charges and her allegations, be open for the media to attend and for the public to see since the SABC is a public broadcaster.

Gugu Ntuli, SABC spokesperson, didn't respond to media queries about Bongumusa Makhathini's demand.

Bongumusa Makhathini, in a letter to SABC deputy board member, Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi, demands that Mary Papayya must remove herself from "any discussions or decision-making" over the allegations of SABC News editorial interference because she is a member of Sanef.

He claims that because Mary Papayya is a member of Sanef and because Sanef has "declared an interest with respect to Phathiswa Magopeni's disciplinary proceedings", Mary Papayya must step aside.

"In this light, it cannot be acceptable that Mary Papayya participates in any further discussions and/or decision-making on a matter in which Sanef has declared a strong, legal interest."

Bongumusa Makhathini wants Mary Papayya gone from SABC board meetings that discuss Phathiswa Magopeni because according to him she won't "act impartially".

"Even if Mary Papayya recuses herself from Sanef meetings when SABC matters are discussed this does not cure the conflict of interest. Mary Papayya sits on the Sanef management committee and the Sanef council, which is that organisation's highest decision-making body."

"Likewise she sits on the SABC board, which is the public broadcaster's highest decision-making body and which will play a role in the outcome of the grievance lodged against me," Bongumusa Makhathini writes.

"It is therefore my respectful submission that Mary Papayya cannot participate in any further discussions and/or decisions on the grievance lodged against me."

"After 4 years of resolutely defending the independence of the SABC as board chairperson, it now seems widely accepted as fact, based on an untested grievance, that I am part of a 'political conspiracy' to interfere with the SABC's editorial independence and charge Phathiswa Magopeni."

"The damage to my reputation has been incalculable and it is therefore crucially important that the process to adjudicate this grievance is fair and impartial."

Phathiswa Magopeni who said she is scared and is being hounded out of the SABC, said that the SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini and SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe are both guilty of direct editorial interference in the operations of SABC News after they asked for SABC News to do an interview with ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa during the election campaigning period before the recent municipal elections.

Phathiswa Magopeni responded after she was slapped with a disciplinary hearing - set for 17 December that looks like it's a SABC witch-hunt - for allegedly bringing the SABC into disrepute and for alleged negligence. 

In her 9-page letter, Phathiswa Magopeni slams SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini for trying to "destroy" her after she rebuffed their attempts to get her to approve a sudden interview for South African and ANC political party president Cyril Ramaphosa during the ANC's recent election campaign in Limpopo.

Phathiswa Madoda says Madoda Mxakwe is resolute in "hounding" her out of the public broadcaster and that both Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini called her on 24 October and tried to force her to approve and schedule an interview with Cyril Ramaphosa - a clear transgression of SABC rules against editorial interference by SABC top execs and the SABC board into the operations of the SABC newsroom.

"The calls I received from Madoda Mxakwe went beyond seeking clarity about why the interview could not be done. He was putting undue pressure on me to co-ordinate that the interview be done, despite this falling outside the news division's editorial processes and being outright interference. I refused."

"He even mentioned having spoken to the minister about the issue, which I found bizarre because this was an editorial matter. I kept explaining why this was wrong and in violation of the prescribed editorial processes," Phathiswa Magopeni writes.

Then suddenly Bongumusa Makhathini called Phathiswa Magopeni although SABC board members are not allowed to do that and are prohibited from editorial interference at SABC News. He asked Phathishwa Magopeni what is happening with the Cyril Ramaphosa interview.

"I said I had done nothing because it would have been an editorial transgression. He went as far as saying the ANC president was in his final leg of the campaign and would be making his way to the SABC afterwards."

"I asked him what he was coming to do as news had no scheduled interview with him, and there was no preparation for such by editors."

"He asked me if the president would have to leave the SABC without doing the interview. I emphatically said from a news point of view, yes, because no editor had knowledge of that interview and it would be a breach of editorial transparency in our newsroom processes."

In May Bongumusa Makhathini also interfered with the operations of SABC News when he also called Phathiswa Magopeni during the succession battle surrounding the Zulu royal family and instructed her that "the other side of the family" should also be given airtime.

Bongumusa Makhathini also sent Phathiswa Magopeni a white envelope with court papers through a security guard that handed her the envelope in the SABC parking area, similar to the modus operandi that a previous SABC chairperson Ben Ngubane employed where he would scream at staffers and hand them documents. 

ALSO READ: South Africa's public broadcaster wants to keep proceedings of disciplinary hearing of its SABC news boss Phathiswa Magopeni secret as lawyers for South African National Editors Forum and CFE demand that media be allowed to attend.

ALSO READ: Scared SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni details shocking allegations of editorial interference by SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini and CEO Madoda Mxakwe who pressured for ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa to do an election interview.

ALSO READ: SABC board says its takes SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni's allegations of editorial interference atSABC News of SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini 'seriously' but 'won't comment further at this stage'. 

Coronavirus: Former SABC chairperson Prof Bongani Khumalo has died at 68 from Covid-19 related complications.

by Thinus Ferreira

Professor Bongani Khumalo, a former SABC board member, has died on Wednesday morning because of Covid-19. He was 68.

The South African public broadcaster on Wednesday confirmed that Prof Bongani Khumalo has died. He passed away due to Covid-19 related complications.

Professor Bongani Khumalo who was the chairperson of the second national lottery operator, Gidani, for South Africa's National Lottery Commission (NLC), was a SABC board member between 2013 to 2015.

Prof BonganiKhumalo resigned as SABC board member in 2015 following the resignation of the SABC's controversial board chairperson fraudster Ellen Tshabalala who had lied about tertiary qualifications she didn't have.

According to his son Mzi, Professor Bongani Khumalo was showing signs of recovery but then died in the Morningside hospital in Johannesburg on Wednesday morning.

Besides having been a SABC board member previously, Professor Bongani Khumalo previously also worked with the South African Red Cross Society, the School of Business Leadership at the Universit of South Africa (Unisa), was a former Anglo Platinum board member and also worked at Eskom.

Black Friday: SABC News anchors all wear black to protest against broadcaster's retrenchment plan as concerns over a possible on-air blackout grows.

by Thinus Ferreira

As concerns about a possible on-air SABC blackout and "black-on-air" situation grows, SABC News anchors and reporters on Friday surreptitiously joined their colleagues who were protesting outside through quietly wearing black attire on-air.

On Friday SABC News anchors and field reporters appeared dressed in black behind the anchor desk in Auckland Park and out covering the news - only the second time ever that they joined in making a statement on air through what they're wearing.

Angry SABC staff first organised a silent "Black Friday" clothing protest on 22 July 2016 when they wore black in open revolt against the then SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng and in support of their fired so-called "SABC8" news colleagues. 

Yesterday they all donned black clothing on-air again to send a strong and unified silent message.

SABC workers are protesting about the embattled and overstaffed South African public broadcaster's retrenchment plan in which 400 workers will likely lose their jobs. 

Some political parties like the ANC and EFF have joined trade unions and protesting SABC workers on Friday who picketed outside SABC buildings across South Africa.

Politicians and their populist rhetoric have provided no solutions for the SABC's deepening financial quagmire except politicising an already difficult issue and saying they don't want workers to lose their jobs. 

Various factions are now trying to distil the SABC battle over job cuts into a politicised battle between the SABC board - painted as "bad" - and SABC workers who are "good". In reality, the issues and the problems at the SABC are extremely complex and the challenges around the need for retrenchments much more multi-faceted. 

The SABC board have said in 2019 and again this year that if the ANC-led government doesn't want job cuts it will need to commit to give the SABC an additional R1 billion per year. The SABC that just made a net loss of R511 is on track to make another loss of at least R1.2 billion next year.

Meanwhile, staff say that SABC top management executives took a lazy, uninformed and unworkable cookie-cutter approach in deciding on cuts within the proposed new SABC structure.

As part of their controversial restructuring SABC execs have scrapped SABC News TV current affairs shows on SABC2 like Zwa Maramani in Tshivenda and Ngula Ya Vutivi in Xitsonga. For now, Fokus in Afrikaans on SABC2, Cutting Edge in Nguni on SABC1 and Special Assignment in English on SABC3 will remain on-air.

Hannes du Buisson, Bemawu spokesperson, said that "some of the complaints from staff are people saying 'My position on the system is as an administrator. The SABC scrapped my position but I'm the only one at the SABC that must pay certain content licensing fees."

The trade unions said that if the SABC fires permanent staff and then replace them again with freelancers and independent contractors that the personnel cost won't go away but that the cost of paying for labour would just end up somewhere else on the balance sheet.

Black-on-air concerns

Meanwhile concerns are growing around a possible blackout of the SABC's TV channels and radio stations - a situation known as "black-on-air", in particular the SABC News (DStv 404) TV channel.

Interestingly, it is both SABC executives, the SABC board and ordinary SABC staff's interest for SABC News to remain on-air without any blackout.

SABC News as a TV news channel - similar to eNCA, Newzroom Afrika and the now-defunct ANN7 and SABC Encore - was commissioned by MultiChoice and is made exclusively for the pay-TV provider who pays for it. 

The contract, worth millions of rand funnelled to SABC coffers, comes with clauses that include penalties for non-performance and non-delivery - like on-air blackouts.  

If there is to be any blackout of SABC News on DStv because of a strike or possible sabotage, the SABC that is already struggling financially, could lose even more money if MultiChoice enacts any penalty clauses over content disruption and decides to withhold or pay the SABC less.

To prevent a SABC blackout if staff strike or sabotage the channel feed or operations, Ian Plaatjes, SABC chief operating officer, told parliament's portfolio committee on Thursday that "a robust contingency plan" exists especially around SABC News.

He said that it was necessary to relook the plan since people getting retrenched were part of the original plan."Some of the names on there were people who might be affected and we just had to double-check that as well," he said.

Late on Friday the SABC issued a statement saying the broadcaster "is fully aware of a plan to create a 'blackout' on our platforms. We can confirm that there are contingency plans in place that will kick in immediately should this self-induced crisis be precipitated. There will be consequence management against any employee who is involved in the planned blackout".

The SABC said that it "has a statutory duty and public mandate to provide uninterrupted radio and television services for millions of South Africans" and that it "wants to assure the public that we remain committed to delivering our public mandate of informing, educating and entertaining South Africans, irrespective of any planned misconduct or ill-discipline".

SABC board was split on whether to fire Chris Maroleng as COO as 4 members wanted the axed executive to get a final warning letter - reports.

The new quorate again SABC board was apparently split about whether to fire the now-axed Chris Maroleng as chief operating officer (COO) according to Sunday newspaper reports, with 4 SABC board members who wanted him to stay on and get a final warning letter.

It comes after Chris Maroleng was fired on Monday by the SABC.

Chris Maroleng's tenure as SABC COO lasted just over a year since he was appointed in January 2018 as chief operating officer to replace the fired Hlaudi Motsoeneng who was SABC COO before him.

Earlier this month Chris Maroleng was found guilty on 3 out of 4 charges, including gross negligence and breaching fiduciary duty, following a disciplinary inquiry against him that was started in late-2018.

The SABC also investigated the protection by Chris Maroleng of Marchi Mahlalela, the SABC's former acting SABC Sport boss, who resigned from the SABC following her own disciplinary hearing.

Chris Maroleng used his SABC COO position to try and help Marchi Mahlalela getting hired at the South African Rugby Union (Saru) and going as far as allegedly writing a letter in his official capacity as SABC COO to confirm that Marchi Mahlalela was innocent of any wrongdoing.

Another charge involved appointing Carmen Schneider, a human resources staffer to Chris Maroleng's office to manage his turnaround management programme that he started and called "Sparkle".

The SABC said that Chris Maroleng ignored HR advice and gave Carmen Schneider an allowance of R15 000 to be the Sparkle project leader despite an agreement with the SABC HR boss, Jonathan Thekiso, that there would not be any changes to Schneider's terms of employment, contract and salary.

According to Sunday reports, the decision to fire Chris Maroleng had to be put to a vote after 4 SABC board members didn't want to get rid of him and argued that the right course of action would have been a final warning letter.

Vuyo Mthembu, SABC spokesperson, said "The SABC disputes this gross misrepresentation of what took place at the SABC board meeting".

However, the SABC didn't want to put forth what it the public broadcaster's view took place at the meeting.

"All matters discussed at board meetings are confidential and we will therefore not divulge the details thereof," said Vuyo Mthembu.

"The SABC has a solid and united board that takes decisions in the best interest of the organisation. The SABC remains committed to ensuring sound governance and consequence management, irrespective of person's position within the corporation."

"We are confident the public and all key stakeholders support the SABC in its tough stance on governance and fiduciary failures."

The South African public broadcaster fires Chris Maroleng as SABC COO who plans to appeal his disciplinary and getting fired; says he's 'quite devastated' and his axing marks 'a low-point in my career' as he 'let down so many people who had placed so much trust in me'.

The South African public broadcaster on Tuesday afternoon fired Chris Maroleng as the chief operating officer (COO) of the SABC, with Chris Maroleng who plans to appeal his disciplinary hearing as well as his firing by the SABC board, saying he's "quite devastated"' and that his axing marks "a low-point in my career" as he "let down so many people who had placed so much trust in me".

Chris Maroleng's tenure as SABC COO lasted just over a year since he was appointed in January 2018 as chief operating officer to replace the fired Hlaudi Motsoeneng who was SABC COO before him.

The SABC in a brief statement on Tuesday afternoon said "The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board met on Tuesday, 23 April 2019. After due consideration of the findings and recommendations of a disciplinary process, the board resolved to terminate the contract of employment of its chief operations officer, Chris Maroleng, with immediate effect".

Earlier this month Chris Maroleng was found guilty on 3 out of 4 charges, including gross negligence and breaching fiduciary duty, following a disciplinary inquiry against him that was started in late-2018.

The SABC also investigated the alleged protection of Chris Maroleng of Marchi Mahlalela, the SABC's former acting SABC Sport boss, who resigned from the SABC following her own disciplinary hearing.

Chris Maroleng reportedly used his SABC COO position to try and help Marchi Mahlalela getting hired at the South African Rugby Union (Saru) and going as far as allegedly writing a letter in his official capacity as SABC COO to confirm that Marchi Mahlalela was innocent of any wrongdoing.

Another charge involved appointing Carmen Schneider, a human resources staffer to Chris Maroleng's office to manage his turnaround management programme that he started and called "Sparkle".

The SABC said that Chris Maroleng ignored HR advice and gave Carmen Schneider an allowance of R15 000 to be the Sparkle project leader despite an agreement with the SABC HR boss, Jonathan Thekiso, that there would not be any changes to Schneider's terms of employment, contract and salary.

Chris Maroleng told Ray White on EWN in a radio interview on Tuesday evening that he plans to appeal the finding of the disciplinary committee, and is also considering appealing the decision of the SABC board to fire him.

Chris Maroleng said he feels "quite devastated" and that his firing marks "a low-point in my career".

"Most likely going to appeal this decision to dismiss," Chris Maroleng said.

He also said "it's personally, unfortunate for me to have let down so many people who had placed so much trust in me and my ability to turn around the SABC. For that I deeply regret and I'm sad that I was unable."

"I'm all my action at the SABC I didn't act out of self-interest, I didn't act to enrich myself."

On Tuesday night, Bongumusa Makhathini, SABC board chairperson in another interview, also on EWN, this time with Karima Brown, didn't want to say publicly what the South African public broadcaster charged Chris Maroleng with and what the findings were.

"Basically that becomes part of the details between us and the former COO. I don't think that would be fair of us to put that out in the public domain. Suffice for us to say that there were four charges and he was found guilty on three of the four".

Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) welcomed the firing of Chris Maroleng from the SABC, with MMA director William Bird who told Jacaranda FM that "it sent a positive message about effective and transparent governance".

South Africa's parliament lies and says SABC board candidates interviewed showed the required level of expertise. They didn't.

The chairperson of South Africa's parliament portfolio committee - tasked with oversight of the SABC - again lied, saying that the shortlisted SABC board candidates interviewed this week for the vacant positions at the South African public broadcaster showed the required level of expertise in different fields and that the committee has confidence in the calibre of candidates.

That's a lie.

Several of the 24 shortlisted candidates don't have the required level of expertise and they are not all a high calibre level of candidates.

There are 8 vacancies on the unstable and inquorate board of the struggling and financially battered SABC.

"We are mainly satisfied with the proportional representation with regards to gender, age and racial diversity in line with national demographics. We view the level of interest to serve on the SABC board as a sign of confidence in the entity," says Hlengiwe Mkhize, committee chairperson in a statement issued on Friday.

Hlengiwe Mkhize said the candidates demonstrated the required level of expertise in different fields, including corporate governance, law, finance, accounting, art and culture as well as journalism.

Nope.

The process of filling and appoint the SABC board is flawed and remains flawed, since the system is flawed, with politicians (and politicians want power) choosing and appointing the SABC board.

To understand the game dynamics, watch Game of Thrones on M-Net (DStv 101) and really do yourself a favour and read Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.

You will come to understand why the situation with the ever-troubled SABC board will never change until the system - and the way that it is set up to deliver the people to that group - changes.

Let's analyse Hlengiwe Mkhize's face-value statements about the SABC board candidates.

Let's start with the "level of interest to serve on the SABC board as a sign of confidence in the entity".

Out of the total applications, roughly a third were from clueless interns looking for job training and wanting to do internships at the SABC. These 90 were discarded.

It left 233. 80 of these were actually tacked on from the previous time that vacancies on the SABC board were advertised and shortlisted earlier in 2018 and not received during December when SABC board vacancies were advertised again.

In reality, not that many people applied, and out of those who did apply a lot were young people seeking internships. That isn't a good or proper measure or indicator of either interest to serve on the SABC board or a "sign of confidence".

Next, let's look at Hlengiwe Mkhize PR assertion about the candidates demonstrating the required level of expertise in different fields.

Firstly, there was a lack under the 24 SABC board member candidates when it comes to a real background and experience in the actual business of broadcasting and journalism. Several had dubious levels of so-called "expertise".

The majority admitted to having no broadcast experience. Yet these are the 24 "best" selected out of close to 400 applications. That is bad.

Several had expressed previous support for the famously matricless and destructive fired former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng or having had done nothing when they could have, and saying at the time he was the victim and "targeted". Why were they even shortlisted?

The former SABC CEO Lulama Mokhobo twice quit the SABC before, yet wants back for a third time to the SABC during an even more difficult time for the broadcaster when she couldn't cope with Hlaudi Motsoeneng who was her underling. Why was she even shortlisted?

One admitted she doesn't watch SABC television.

That's like applying at an ice-cream factory but during the job interview admitting you don't really like their product and haven't tasted it.

One wants South African viewers who don't pay their SABC TV licences cut off from seeing the South African public broadcaster.

One expressed a desire (and unknowingly editorial interference) for the SABC's SABC News division to - just like Hlaudi Motsoeneng ordered - "tell good stories".

One didn't know what digital terrestrial television (DTT) was or stood for, or what OTT (over-the-top) means.

One thought M-Net was the SABC.

Like a recycled Pick n Pay packet former SABC CEO quitter, Lulama Mokhobo suddenly pops up as one of 24 shortlisted candidates for SABC board vacancies.

Like one of the recycled Pick n Pay packets - the new blue ones - the former SABC CEO quitter, Lulama Mokhobo has popped up as one of the 24 shortlisted candidates for the 8 vacant SABC board seats.

Lulama Mokhobo who quit as SABC CEO barely two years after she was appointed in 2012 because she couldn't cope with the famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng, now wants to be on the SABC board at a time where the crumbling South African public broadcaster is facing even bigger and more severe problems that when she had an Auckland Park corner office.

When Lulama Mokhobo quit as SABC CEO in February 2014, it was the second time she went away from the SABC.

Now Lulama Mokhobo is back for a third try, wanting to be involved with the SABC hovering on the edge of a financial cliff, when she'd left before when the going gets tough.

On Thursday, following criticism for not doing what it promised the public and the TV industry, parliament's portfolio committee on communications finally released the shortlisted 24 names who will be interviewed to fill the 8 empty seats on the unstable and inquorate SABC board.

Another candidate, Mary Papayya, is a former journalist and executive member of the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef).

Itani Tsiesi is die SABC's former group executive for risk and governance. In 2016 during parliament's inquiry into the SABC, he explained how disastrous the tenures of the former SABC chairpersons Mbulaheni Maguvhe, Ellen Tshabalala and Ben Ngubane were.

Gift Buthelezi is a former director general at the department of telecommunications and postal Services.

In 2017 Gift Buthelezi was involved in a legal fight with the then-minister of telecommunications Siyabonga Cwele for allegedly spending R4.3 million to organise an international conference in the Eastern Cape in 2012 but the lawsuit was later withdrawn.

Mmabatho Ramagoshi is a former provincial general manager of the SABC in Gauteng as was a former chariperson of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF).

Mfanozwele Shozi was part of a SABC commission looking into allegations of sexual harassment at the South African public broadcaster that found that SABC management ignored complaints of harassment and deliberately conspired to protect perpetrators and predators.

The names of the shortlisted candidates will be published on parliament's website and interviews are set to be conducted from 5 to 7 March.

Here are the 24 names:

Gift Buthelezi

Mary Papayya

Itani Tseisi

Rowan Nicholls

Mfanozwele Shozi

Nokuzola Ehrens

Mmabatho Ramagoshi

William Malema Ramoshaba

Maria Socikwa

Lulama Mokhobo

Motshedi Lekalakala

Nkosana Mbokana

Mathews Mofokeng

Mamodupi Mohlala-Molaudzi

Jasmina Patel

Bernedette Muthien

Nakedi Ribane

Siphile Buthelezi

Sathasivan Cooper

David Maimela

Lufuno Nevondwe

Sembie Danana

Chief Livhuwani Matsila

Mpiyakhe Mkholo

After criticism parliament's communications portfolio committee backs down and will now shortlist 24 candidates for vacancies on the SABC board on Thursday.

Following criticism for wanting to first suddenly do "exit interviews" - after months of waiting - with former SABC board members before proceeding with the process to shortlist 24 and appoint 8 new SABC board members to fill urgent vacancies, parliament's portfolio committee on communications did a turn-around of its Tuesday decision and will now shortlist candidates on Thursday.

On Wednesday parliament's apparently incompetent and lazy portfolio committee on communications had a change of heart since it's decision on Tuesday to further delay the process, and said that instead of doing "exit interviews" it will now shortlist 24 candidates on Thursday.

On Tuesday parliament's portfolio committee shocked South Africa and its broadcasting industry after it said on Monday that it would list 24 candidates out of the 400 who applied but then ended up breaking its promise and not doing so.

On Wednesday the committee led by chairperson Hlengiwe Mkhize, suddenly said that "changes to parliament’s schedule means the committee would no longer conduct exit interviews with those who resigned from the current board".

It said that the names of the shortlisted candidates would be published on parliament's website and that the interviews would be conducted from 5 to 7 March.

The unstable SABC board is currently inquorate, South Africa is in a national election year with the election day and run-up to 8 May that the SABC and SABC News must cover - and with the public broadcaster once again hovering on the edge of a financial cliff.

Urgent intervention to try and right-size the SABC is very long overdue.

Parliament's apparently lazy portfolio committee on communications has been criticised for having taken months to start the process to sift and begin interviews with shortlisted candidates for the positions.

Parliament's portfolio committee on communications lied, saying it would return in early-2019, and then lied again to the South African public saying it would start the process of interviews in mid-January. Neither happened.

Parliament's current term ends on 20 March.

South Africa's parliament and politicians abruptly scuppers the urgent shortlisting of names for empty seats on the SABC board; now suddenly wants to do 'exit interviews' with former members ... who quit months ago.

In a shocking (not shocking) display of ineptitude regarding the struggling SABC as well as apparently sheer parliamentary incompetence, the South African government on Tuesday abruptly halted the shortlisting of the 24 candidates it still said on Monday it would shortlist on Tuesday to interview for the vacant seats on the SABC, with politicians that now first want to do exit interviews with the former SABC board members who had resigned ... months ago.

How badly South African politicians and parliament's portfolio committee on communications, entrusted with doing so-called "oversight" of the South African Broadcasting Corporation work (don't work) was once again laid bare on Tuesday in a jaw-dropping display of politician incompetence you won't find in any professional corporate environment.

On Monday, parliament's portfolio committee on communications - supposed to look after the crumbling and commercially insolvent SABC - said it would shortlist on Tuesday the 24 candidates who will be interviewed for SABC board vacancies after Mathatha Tsedu, Krish Naidoo, Khanyisile Kweyama and John Mattison quit months ago in December 2018.

The unstable SABC board is currently inquorate, South Africa is in a national election year with the election day and run-up to 8 May that the SABC and SABC News must cover - and with the public broadcaster once again hovering on the edge of a financial cliff.

Urgent intervention to try and right-size the SABC is very long overdue.

On Monday parliament said the shortlisted 24 candidates would be interviewed from 5 to 7 March with the names of the 8 best candidates recommended to the Nasional Assembly and president Cyril Ramaphosa before parliament shutters for the national election in 3 weeks' time.

Cue Tuesday - and trash.

Parliament's portfolio committee on communications in a statement suddenly said it "has resolved to put on hold the shortlisting of 24 candidates who were going to be interviewed to fill the 8 vacancies at the board of the SABC".

"Given the history of challenges at the SABC board, the committee decided to conduct exit interviews with those who resigned from the current board."

"The remaining 4 non-executive members in the current SABC board will be invited to provide progress reports on investigations into SABC board member Dinkwanyane Mohuba's qualifications (also known as Kgalema Mohuba), the turnaround strategy, labour relations issues and progress with implementing the recommendations of the ad hoc committee. The exit interviews will be conducted on 5 March 2019."

Hlengiwe Mkhize, chairperson of the committee, didn't say why parliament now suddenly wants to do exit interviews with long-departed SABC board members who had left months ago. Exit interviews are done immediately before people leave employment or immediately after - not months later.

Hlengiwe Mkhize didn't say why, if exit interviews are to take place, why this can't happen in parallel with the process of shortlisting, interviewing and appointing new SABC board members which are urgently needed to stabilise the SABC.

Parliament's apparently lazy portfolio committee on communications has been criticised for having taken months to start the process to sift and begin interviews with shortlisted candidates for the positions.

Parliament's portfolio committee on communications lied, saying it would return in early-2019, and then lied again to the South African public saying it would start the process of interviews in mid-January. Neither happened.

Parliament's current term ends on 20 March.