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Pressure and anxiety builds as SABC inquiry resumes today

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Expecting fireworks: His holiday break over, SABC parliamentary inquiry chairperson Vincent Smith emerges from a “prep” meeting ahead of the resumption of proceedings on Friday. Picture: Janet  Heard
Expecting fireworks: His holiday break over, SABC parliamentary inquiry chairperson Vincent Smith emerges from a “prep” meeting ahead of the resumption of proceedings on Friday. Picture: Janet Heard

The parliamentary inquiry into the SABC resumes today after the holiday break with chairperson Vincent Smith filled with a heightened sense of anxiety.

Expectations are high for the testimony this morning of two controversial former board chairpersons – Ellen Tshabalala and Ben Ngubane – Smith confirmed after emerging from a preparatory meeting of the ad hoc committee yesterday afternoon.

Then the real test was yet to come during deliberations next week and the finalisation of a draft report, with a deadline of January 24.

Admitting that proceedings last year were intense, he said: “Personally, I think the pressure is going to get worse from now. Expectations are so high, which has heightened anxiety levels.”

He said one of the things that the committee was analysing was whether witnesses last year had misled Parliament in their testimony. This included Communications Minister Faith Muthambi.

“We are analysing, authenticating and verifying information,” Smith said.

At yesterday’s meeting, MPs agreed that no further witnesses would be considered after Tshabalala and Ngubane, he said.

A lot of “lobbying” had taken place during the holiday break, with some people, including veteran journalist and former acting chief executive Jimi Matthews asking to testify.

“We pursued him earlier for two weeks, but he was not available. Clearly he wants to defend his name now, but he missed the opportunity. We have all agreed that there will be no new witnesses. We are sticking to the list we agreed to,” said Smith, adding that the committee was not a court of law, but an information-gathering exercise.

Though Ngubane and his successor Tshabalala are set to face tough questions from MPs, Smith said that they had not been “obstructionist” about testifying. “Though we struggled initially to get hold of Tshabalala, there was no difficulty in getting them to agree to come. They made themselves available,” said Smith.

Among other issues pertaining to the public broadcaster, the ad hoc committee was set up with a mandate to investigate the fitness of a now non-existent board to hold office.

The SABC is limping along with a three-member acting executive and no board after the last remaining non-executive member Mbulaheni Maguvhe resigned just after the committee adjourned in mid-December.

The acting duties of the executive members – James Aguma as chief executive, Audrey Raphela as chief financial officer and Bessie Tugwana as chief operations officer – were extended in December, SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago confirmed this week in a bid to dispel concerns that the SABC was about to be all but rudderless.

At pains to point out that there was no crisis at the SABC, Kganyago said all three acting members already held “substantial” permanent positions at the SABC.

Aguma is chief financial officer, but acting in the chief executive position after Jimi Matthews threw in the towel last year (he also served in an acting position).

Asked to comment on today’s planned proceedings, Kganyago said: “We will watch on TV, like everybody else.”

Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has called on the public to submit names of “credible” candidates to serve on an interim board.

“If capable men and women do not avail themselves then we will all be reduced to the inevitable result of being led by mediocre and weak individuals prone to manipulation by dominant factions of the ruling party,” the EFF said in a statement.

Parliament, which is still in recess, has confirmed that the communications portfolio committee plans to finalise a list of recommended names of interim board members before the National Assembly resumes sittings next month.

A race against the clock, the process is due to kickstart when the committee meets on January 24.

» Today’s SABC inquiry proceedings – which are televised live – begin at 9am, with Ngubane testifying at 9.30am and Tshabalala at 11.30am.

THE INQUIRY: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

16 January: By close of business, a working document would be distributed to ad hoc committee members

19-20 January: The ad hoc committee sits for deliberations

24 January: The ad hoc committee adopts a draft report, with copies made available to affected parties

9 February: Deadline for affected parties to comment “but not to deliver new evidence”, said Smith.

14-15 February: Report finalised

28 February: Report presented to the National Assembly.



Janet Heard
Media24 Parliamentary Editor
City Press
p:+27 11 713 9001
w:www.citypress.co.za  e: janet.heard@24.com
      
 
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