Publications
Partners
Parliament’s portfolio committee on communications has failed to reach consensus on the eight candidates it wants to fill the vacancies on the embattled SABC board.
The ANC used their majority on Thursday to sign off on its preferred eight names, getting buy in on only four of the names from the DA and one from the EFF.
The eight names given the green light by the ANC are: Mary Papayya, Jasmina Patel, Dr Marcia Socikwa, Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi, Bernedette Muthien, Advocate Benjamin Lekalakala, Professor Saths Cooper and David Maimela.
The DA were willing to support Papayya, Socikwa, Mohlala-Mulaudzi and Patel. The party’s Phumzile van Damme lamented the fact that there was no chartered accountant on the ANC’s list, which is what the committee had agreed was necessary expertise for the board.
Van Damme also put up fierce opposition to Cooper, who she said had demonstrated authoritarian rule at previous institutions.
She said he also refused to answer questions from the committee on a damning ministerial report which Cooper was yet to challenge.
Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said the EFF agreed on Socikwa as she was the best candidate of the 24 who were shortlisted. He agreed with van Damme that Cooper would be a catastrophe for the board. He also lamented the lack of women representation on the board, pleading with the ANC to trade out Cooper and Maimela in favour of Lulama Mokhobo and Nokuzola Ehrens who were part of the 24 interviewees.
Ndlozi also expressed disappointment at the committee itself, saying that at times the line of questioning was embarrassing and brought into disrepute the work of Parliament.
The committee was given a few minutes to try and find consensus but returned with the ANC victorious and refusing to back down on its preferred eight.
Van Damme and Ndlozi made objections to the report which will now be brought before the National Assembly.
