Mbeki’s SABC quartet must go, say ANC, Cosatu

The ANC in Parliament, backed by a civil society initiative that includes Cosatu, wants four of President Thabo Mbeki’s appointees to the SABC board to step down.

They are lawyer Christine Qunta (pictured top) and businesspersons Peter Vundla (bottom), Gloria Serobe (centre) and Andile Mbeki.

President Mbeki vetoed a list of candidates sent to Luthuli House by ANC members of Parliament’s communications committee, which interviews and re-commends people nominated to serve on the broadcaster’s board.

Mbeki allegedly packed the board with his supporters and, via Luthuli House, instructed members of the committee to vote for his choices. Serobe, for example, was nominated by Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad’s chief of staff, Louis du Plooy.

ANC MPs were unhappy that Mbeki force fed them a list of board members. Now, after his defeat at Polokwane they are lining up against him.

Mbeki excluded three people who came highly recommended by his parliamentarians — former Parliamentary Speaker Frene Ginwala, unionist Randall Howard and Barlo- world executive director Isaac Shongwe.

Board members accepted by both sides include Independent Electoral Commission CE Pansy Tlakula, former presidential spokesperson Bheki Khumalo, religious leader Ashwin Trikamjee, telecommunications guru Alison Gilwald, former Icasa councillor Nadia Bulbulia, Fadila Lagadien and Desmond Golding.

At a caucus meeting after interviews for the board in August and September last year, acting chief whip Andries Nel presented to the ANC study group on communications the party’s ‘preferred list” of candidates on a letterhead from the office of the secretary general, Kgalema Motlanthe. Luthuli House agreed on six names presented by the caucus and submitted another eight from which they were allowed to choose six to make up the 12-member board.

Motlanthe denied that he sent the list when MPs quizzed him about it.

It was signed by his then deputy, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele.

ANC MPs say the process was procedural but that the breakdown was political. They are considering sending a delegation of senior leaders to talk to the four SABC board members to persuade them to resign.

Meanwhile, presidential spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga told the Mail & Guardian that the presidency was unfazed by a possible legal challenge from civil society groups.

‘The board is not appointed to represent any constituency,” said Ratshitanga. ‘It is appointed to give leadership to the SABC in the best interests of all South Africans. The process leading up to the appointment was consistent with the law. The president followed the law to the letter — that is what is important.”

Ratshitanga denied that perceptions of Mbeki’s alleged gerrymandering were affecting his relations with the new ANC national executive committee.

The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), Cosatu, the South African NGO Coalition and the Treatment Action Campaign are some of the organisations seeking legal advice about challenging the president. They will do so on four principal issues: the board’s composition, the fairness of the election process, lack of confidence in returning board members and the lack of adequate skills.

In addition to weighing up the merits of their case, the civil society groups are collecting affidavits from parliamentary committee members who are willing to testify against the partiality of the selection process.

The FXI’s Jane Duncan said several ANC national executive committee members had labelled the board ‘a mistake”. She said that the returning board members — specifically Lagadien, Qunta, Gilwald, Trikamjee, Mbeki and Mkhonza — had proven themselves ‘unfit” as they had failed crucial tests of openness and transparency, particularly in their handling of the SABC blacklisting saga.

‘The last board attempted to interdict the M&G to take down information on blacklisting from their website,” said Duncan. ‘For a media company to try and curtail the freedom of another is unethical. Their inadequate response to the findings of the commission of inquiry, their attempt to suppress the full report and their lack of action towards the perpetrators was worrying.”

An informed source said the newly appointed political editor of the SABC, Abbey Makoe, is set to quit his post as he disagrees with Snuki Zikalala about political issues, especially those concerning the ANC and the president.

Although Makoe denied the rumour, it is understood that he is being increasingly marginalised and prevented from participating in interviews as he is viewed as a political maverick.

When approached for comment SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said that no resignation letter had been received from Makoe and that the broadcaster did not have to account to the M&G on operational matters or decisions.