The SOS: Support Public Broadcasting Coalition notes weekend media reports that allege that the SABC is not following due process as regards the appointment of a new Chief Operating Officer (COO) and has allegedly already earmarked a person for this position.
According to the Sunday Independent the SABC’s new CEO, Lulama Mokhobo, advertised the COO post on Friday with a deadline for Tuesday, only advertised the post internally, and deleted the need for qualifications.
The SOS Coalition is aware of the critical need to swiftly fill long-vacant executive management posts at the SABC. However the Coalition believes that despite this urgency the integrity of the appointment process can not be undermined. Furthermore the SABC must strive to attract the best possible candidate, whether it is internally or externally. This is the first important test for our new CEO’s leadership skills.
The Board and CEO need to ensure that the appointment process follows scrupulous due process in terms of ensuring:
• that the job is advertised internally and externally; and
• that the deadline for applications is extended to ensure maximum opportunity to participate.
The SABC must ensure they find the best person for this important post.
The SOS Coalition represents a number of trade unions including COSATU, COSATU affiliates CWU and CWUSA, FEDUSA, BEMAWU and MWASA; independent film and TV production sector organisations including the South African Screen Federation (SASFED); and a host of NGOs and CBOs including the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), and the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-SA); as well as a number of academics and freedom of expression activists.
