http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3015&art_id=vn20080629111933721C178347
Members of the SABC board are said to be reeling after the surprise move this week by the ANC in parliament to amend legislation to enable it to axe the controversial group.
SABC insiders said Kanyisiwe Mkhonza, the board chairperson, who had been "in and out of Auckland Park" prior to the parliamentary announcement, had been shaken by the announcement on Thursday that the portfolio committee on communications had moved to implement changes to the law that would result in the current board being dissolved by September.
Some board members were shocked that they could be booted out not even a year into the five-year term as appointed by President Thabo Mbeki in December.
Mkhonza told The Sunday Independent that the parliamentary process had been part of a review ordered by Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, the minister of communications, and she had not seen a transcript of what was said.
Nevertheless, she said the review in parliament and this week's decision in the Johannesburg high court to postpone the case brought against the board by Dali Mpofu, the suspended group chief executive, would not affect the board.
"It does not impact on the board's work,"she said.
Khotso Khumalo, the ANC caucus spokesperson, told parliament a memorandum containing proposals to amend the Broadcasting Act was drawn up by the ANC study group on communications and presented to the communications portfolio committee this week.
It would be tabled in parliament on Thursday and hearings on changing the law were likely to be held by August.
Amendments to the act could be passed by September.
The portfolio committee said its long-term goal is to free the board of political influence and have it selected by a judge and an independent panel of experts.
But for now, it wants the president to have the right to fire board members on the recommendation of MPs and for the National Assembly to be able to propose dissolving the board.
Meanwhile, Mpofu, in court on Tuesday to challenge yet another suspension (the third in less than two months), said in court papers that the organisation was suffering great harm because of the board's unlawful actions.
The crisis, he claimed, was costing the SABC millions of rands and had jeopardised several major projects.
Mpofu cited the example of a R60-million project aimed at implementing a new group strategy, conducted by a major international group, Gemini Consultancy.
The project began last year and was to have been finalised by the end of this month but has been held up because of the crisis.
Mpofu's latest court bid was postponed this week after the board failed to file its responding affidavit on time.
In postponing the case, Judge Mohamed Jajbhay called on the parties to consider outside mediation, offering to undertake the mediation himself.
Mkhonza said the mediation proposal had been welcomed by the board.
"Even before going to court, we wanted mediation. We would prefer to resolve matters speedily," she added.
"It is not in the interests of any party to deal with these charges in the media. So, we will not deal with this issue in the media and, in the meantime, we are considering ways in which the judge's mediation proposal can be implemented," she said.
Mkhonza denied the board was siding with Snuki Zikalala, the suspended news chief, but said the court battles were having an effect on morale at the SABC and it was a difficult time for everyone at the public broadcaster.
She added that the board was trying its best but Mpofu had not responded positively to the mediation call.
Mpofu's lawyers said that mediation was impossible unless his suspension was lifted.
By Friday, the board - which earlier this month had given Mpofu two days to explain why he should not be suspended - had not submitted its answering affidavit after more than a week.
Meanwhile, Patrick Craven, the Cosatu spokesperson, said the trades union federation was delighted with moves by the ANC in parliament to get rid of the SABC board.
But Dene Smuts, the Democratic Alliance MP, said the proposal by the ANC in parliament did not tackle the problem of executive interference.
It is no more than a "naked political purge", she said.
