The Broadcasting Amendment Bill was tabled on Friday by the Minister of Communications, Faith Muthambi. The Bill will remove Parliament’s role in the appointment of the SABC’s non-executive board members. This means the President – yes, the Zumster himself – will now appoint non-executive members of the board on the advice of the Minister, not Parliament. The Minister will be advised by a “nominating committee” she appoints herself.
The Bill will also reduce the number of the non-executive board members from 12 to 9; reduce the quorum from 9 to 7; and specifies a new procedure for their re-appointment, removal and resignation of non-executive board members.
According to a statement by opposition party the Democratic Alliance, this bill is really bad news for South Africa’s democracy.
“It will pave the way for the ANC to become a ANC-government propaganda tool under the control of Minister Muthambi,” sayd Phumzile van Damme. the DA’s nastional spokesperson and shadow minister of communications.
“Along with the SABC Memorandum of Incorporation secretly signed by Muthambi in September last year, which gives the Minister of Communications the right to usurp the board’s powers reducing it to a mere rubber stamp, the Bill will give the ANC complete control over the SABC.”
The DA says it will use “every mechanism available” to it to make sure that this bill does not become law to protect what is left of the independence of the SABC.
“For South Africa’s hard-won democracy to thrive, it is imperative that the country has a public broadcaster that is independent of government, free from political interference and presents news that is an accurate representation of conditions in South Africa.”
