The SABC’s head of news and recently appointed acting group chief executive officer, Phil Molefe, is not the man for the top job, say unions representing the public broadcaster’s employees.
“The SABC board needs to revisit Molefe’s appointment. Although it’s only for a short period, it’s very senior. His appointment as head of news was controversial. Quite frankly, the SABC still hasn’t got it right. They are not trusted by staff, civil society and the public. There will be controversy for as long as he holds that position,” said Hannes du Buisson, president of the Broadcast, Electronic, Media and Allied Workers Union (Bemawu), which represents about 1 000 SABC employees.
“How do you appoint Phil? What does he know? He was not a good candidate to be head of news and now he is the acting group chief executive,” said Matankana Mathapo, spokesman for the Communication Workers Union.
Du Buisson said what was of most concern was the manner in which Molefe had been appointed.
During a specially convened meeting last Wednesday, Communications Minister Roy Padayachie amended the articles of association, effectively paving the way for the board to appoint Molefe and to sack former acting chief executive and chief financial officer Robin Nicholson whose contract was due to expire at the end of June.
However, the board resolved last Friday that his contract be extended by six months. Speaking to Independent Newspapers last week, Nicholson said he intended taking legal action.
The Save Our SABC (SOS) coalition would hold an emergency public meeting today to discuss the “present crises unfolding at the SABC”, it said.
Cosatu’s Patrick Craven will chair the meeting, to be attended by representatives of a number of affiliates, including the Freedom of Expression Institute and other lobby groups as well as producers and the media.
Craven said yesterday the meeting would hopefully bring some clarity to developments at the SABC.
The SABC has made headlines over the past few days with the resignation of board member Peter Harris, the dismissal of Nicholson and Molefe’s appointment – which attracted allegations of political interference by the ANC and Padayachie in the process of appointing the new acting chief executive.
“Today we will raise our concerns sharply. We are very worried about the shenanigans taking place at the SABC. In our view the minister and the board is to blame.”
“They are not interested in the public broadcaster; they are only concerned with their own interest. They only care about putting their friends in positions so tomorrow ‘I can get a tender’,” said Mathapo.
The union had written a letter to Padayachie asking for a meeting to get clarity on the decisions taken recently, including Molefe’s appointment. The union has also asked the SABC board “to explain to us the direction they took in appointing Phil, without even informing the unions”.
Kate Skinner, co-ordinator for the SOS, said an invitation had been extended, albeit at short notice, to Padayachie and other communications department officials to attend the meeting. It was unclear yesterday whether Padayachie would attend. - Michelle Pietersen (Political Bureau)