FXI tackles SABC board nomination process
The lobby group said on Tuesday that the portfolio committee needed to show more appreciation for the nomination process so as not to arouse suspicion, saying it needed to “ensure that it heeds the letter and spirit of the broadcasting act”.
It said the act required that there must be “participation by the public in a nomination process”, as well as “transparency and openness”.
In terms of the programme, committee members would be handed curriculums vitae of nominees on July 30. For the next two days, the committee would short-list candidates.
“Incredibly, interviews for the short-listed candidates begin the day after the completion of the shortlisting process. This is unworkable, and may well lead to suspicions that candidates have been earmarked.”
The FXI said that requirements relating to the public’s involvement would not be met if the process was rushed, and sufficient time needed to be given for the nomination process to unfold, as well as for short-listed candidates to prepare themselves for interviews.
However, portfolio committee chairman Godfrey Oliphant said yesterday it would grant an extension but that the FXI’s reasons were “unacceptable” — the committee had responded to the FXI directly, telling it so. “They woke up too late. It is not our fault if they were disorganised,” he said. “All the ground has been covered” in regard to public participation and transparency.
The FXI said the incumbent board was responsible for “sweeping under the carpet” the Sisulu commission of inquiry’s report into allegations of blacklisting of commentators. “This board also, after the damning report against the SABC’s news chief, Snuki Zikalala, still saw it fit to declare its full confidence in Zikalala.”
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