The SABC board has been summoned to parliament by Ismail Vadi, chairman of parliament’s portfolio committee on communications, to explain the stand-off between it and the SABC chairman Ben Ngubane.
Vadi has called upon the board to provide an explanation of "an apparent corporate governance crisis" at a parliamentary meeting to be held on 24 August. The board was appointed in January with a mandate to bring order to the chaotic management of the state broadcaster.
The board has voiced strong criticism of the unilateral manner in which Ngubane, with the support of SABC group chief executive officer Solly Mokoetle, appointed SABC veteran newsman Phil Molefe to the position of new head of news and current affairs. The board has declared the appointment unlawful but to date has not been able to overturn Molefe’s contract.
According to broadcast expert and consultant, Indra de Lanerolle, there is significant risk in depending on Parliament to sort out the board crisis. He contends the Electronic Communications Act and the Broadcasting Act puts the onus on the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) to monitor the public broadcaster’s compliance with its Charter and to enforce compliance if necessary.
Vadi said the board would also be required to report at the parliamentary portfolio committee meeting on its turnaround strategy for the organisation.
