Committee chairman Ismail Vadi said on Thursday the decision to call in the entire board on August 24 had been prompted by an apparent corporate governance crisis within the board.<\/p>\n
The board had been asked to report on its revised, turn-around strategy for the SABC, the board’s functionality, and the controversy relating to the appointment of Phil Molefe as head of news and current affairs.<\/p>\n
Last week, labour unions and others called for SABC board chairman Ben Ngubane and CEO Solly Mokoetle to resign over allegations good governance procedures had been flouted and problems continued to plague the public broadcaster.<\/p>\n
The SOS campaign — comprising the Congress of SA Trade Unions, the Federation of Unions of SA, NGOs, industry related bodies, academics and freedom of expression activists — noted with dismay the seemingly endless governance problems at the SABC.<\/p>\n
“From media reports… it appears that Mokoetle, without board approval, has authorised additional bonuses to staff,” it said.<\/p>\n
“These discretionary bonuses related to the world cup are reportedly costing the public broadcaster R4.5m — and this at a time of great financial strain for the broadcaster.”<\/p>\n
The coalition believed the ongoing crises at the SABC had become so serious urgent action from Parliament was, “sadly”, once again required.<\/p>\n
In June, Mokoetle announced Molefe was the public broadcaster’s new head of news. Molefe was reportedly introduced by the CEO as head of news on June 1, his first day in office.<\/p>\n
But, 10 members of the 12-member board held a meeting to discuss Molefe’s appointment. Afterwards, SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said the board resolved Molefe’s “purported appointment” was null and void and had no legal effect.<\/p>\n
However, Mokoetle stuck to his guns that Molefe was indeed the new head of news, despite the board opposing the appointment.<\/p>\n
Reports suggested Mokoetle and board chairman Ben Ngubane were in favour of Molefe’s appointment, but the rest of the board was opposed to it.<\/p>\n
Kganyago also denied reports that head of radio Mapule Mbhalati faced disciplinary action for airing the statement by the board that Molefe’s appointment was null and void. She had since requested to go on early retirement.<\/p>\n
In January, the new board was said to be unhappy with the appointment of Mokoetle — the former Telkom Media chief content officer — as CEO.<\/p>\n
He was appointed by the previous interim board.<\/p>\n
Mokoetle, who was the SABC’s chief operations officer between 2001 and December 2006, succeeded Dali Mpofu, who was paid R11 million to leave the broadcaster.<\/p>\n
Vadi said his committee had also asked the new Sentech board to appear before it on August 31 to present its revised strategic plan and to report on the resignation and suspension of its senior executive management team.<\/p>\n