By Siyabonga Mkhwanaziand Xolani Mbanjwa
The five remaining members of the SABC board continue to cling to their positions despite political pressure, even after Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda told them in a heated meeting yesterday that the controversial board has all but collapsed.
Despite the minister's attempt to persuade the five to resign to pave the way for the appointment of an interim board, they refused to budge.
This is likely to open the way for a parliamentary inquiry, said a source who attended yesterday's meeting in Pretoria.
The five directors stuck to their guns even after fellow board member Pansy Tlakula, the Independent Electoral Commission's chief electoral officer, tendered her resignation at the meeting in Pretoria.
Continues Below ↓
The five include acting chairman Ashwin Trikamjee, who ironically did not attend the meeting as he was on a business trip in Asia, his predecessor Khanyi Mkhonza, Nadia Bulbulia, Alison Gillwald and Gloria Serobe.
The resignation of Tlakula followed those of Bheki Khumalo, Andile Mbeki and Desmond Golding on Thursday.
Former board deputy chairwoman Christina Qunta, Peter Vundla and Fadila Lagadien resigned sometime ago.
After the meeting, Nyanda told Independent Newspapers that in the circumstances the SABC board has all but all collapsed as it could no longer take decisions.
The minister said he would inform President Jacob Zuma of the outcome of the meeting and would start the process of appointing a six-member interim board.
"Three members of the board resigned (on Thursday) and that means to all intents and purposes there is no functioning board as such.
"We had a very constructive meeting with the remaining members of the board. We agreed to all intents and purposes that the board is almost dissolved by the action of those who resigned," Nyanda said.
Ministry spokesman Tiyani Rikhotso said the minister had expressed concern at the meeting about the board's decision to appoint Trikamjee as acting chairman, which was in violation of the law as only the president had that prerogative.
Chairman of the National Assembly's portfolio committee on communications Ismail Vadi said he hoped the remaining board members would resign over the weekend.
"It's a developing situation. I anticipate further resignations. I think they will respond to the public pressure that is growing at the moment," said Vadi.
He said his committee would act next week when the SABC comes to Parliament to table its strategic plan and budget for the 2009/2010 financial year.
If the members refuse to resign the communications committee will institute a commission of inquiry which would lead to the dissolution of the board.
A source at the meeting said, "they are not resigning they want to be shamed in public".
- This article was originally published on page 4 of Saturday Argus on June 13, 2009
|
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Digg
Delicious
Newsvine
Facebook
muti
Twitter
