The SABC is “bleeding” and desperate measures are needed to restore its credibility, the public broadcaster’s group executive committee said yesterday.<\/p>\n
In a bold move on yet another day of high drama involving the SABC board and its chief executive officer, Dali Mpofu, the executive committee held a press conference on the steps of the main entrance to the broadcaster’s headquarters in Auckland Park, Johannesburg.<\/p>\n
The committee demanded the immediate resignation of the SABC board. <\/p>\n
The call came a few hours after the Johannesburg High Court dismissed with costs the board’s application for leave to appeal against a court ruling that Mpofu’s suspension was unlawful.<\/p>\n
Judge Moroa Tsoka said: “I am unpersuaded that there are grounds for leave to appeal as I have dealt with the matter in depth.” <\/p>\n
Mpofu was suspended on May 7, a few hours after he suspended the corporation’s news boss, Snuki Zikalala, for allegedly leaking a memorandum about the chief executive’s alleged mismanagement to the Sunday Times. <\/p>\n
Mpofu challenged his suspension and the court ruled in his favour last month.<\/p>\n
Sipho Sithole, the SABC’s head of group strategy and risk, read a statement by the committee in which it said it believed the suspension of Mpofu was attributable to “ulterior and improper motives which have nothing to do with the best interests of the SABC”.<\/p>\n
SABC staff came out in support of the statement and circulated a petition against the “unfair treatment” of Mpofu.<\/p>\n
While the media frenzy continued outside, Mpofu was back in his office preparing for today’s budget vote in parliament.<\/p>\n
The statement by the committee read: “The sentiments expressed privately by certain non-executives throughout this crisis have clearly demonstrated that it has been orchestrated and driven mainly by two or three individual members of the board, who harbour certain personal animosity towards [Mpofu].”<\/p>\n
The committee said it believed Mpofu’s suspension was a result of the suspension of Zikalala. The committee’s statement revealed that, during a meeting on May 8, the board had assured the committee that the two suspensions were not linked. <\/p>\n
“The words ‘trust us on this’ were used repeatedly to reinforce this position … we took this assurance at face value and gave the board the benefit of the doubt.”<\/p>\n
The final straw came when a sworn statement by board chairwoman Khanyisiwe Mkonza, submitted in court, revealed that the suspension of Mpofu had been triggered by the suspension of Zikalala.<\/p>\n
“This … led us to conclude that … the board had misled us. We have come to the conclusion that this board does not have the moral authority to continue to lead the SABC, and continues to allow its power to be abused.<\/p>\n
“We too have lost all confidence in the collective, and therefore call upon the board to step down with immediate effect.”<\/p>\n
Citing the possibility of retribution by board members, the committee’s statement concludes: “This is not a call we are making lightly, but one whose potential consequences we are fully aware of and made in the interest of the SABC and the public.” <\/p>\n