Johannesburg - Consultant and banking executive Frans Matlala has the unenviable task of turning the SABC into an independent broadcaster, free from the clutches of politicians and positioning it as an organisation of international repute.
The SABC announced Matlala as its new group chief executive during a media conference at its
Auckland Park headquarters on Wednesday.
Matlala, who has done consultative work for the SABC on strategies and project management, welcomed the opportunity to help the organisation reach its full potential.
“I appreciate that this honour and privilege is also a daunting challenge. I think there’s an opportunity globally to communicate a narrative about Africa and a very different narrative from the narrative that has been there before,” he told reporters.
Matlala’s predecessor, Lulama Mokhobo, quit in February last year after being in the position for little over a year of her five-year contract.
In the interim, chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng has been acting as the group chief executive, despite a court order that he be suspended pending the outcome of an independent disciplinary inquiry.
It followed from the findings of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela that he lied about having passed matric when he first applied for a job at the SABC, irregularly inflated his own salary from R1.5 million to R2.4m and purged staff who had testified against him in a disciplinary hearing, among other transgressions.
Although Matlala would not expand on what changes were in store for the SABC, he indicated that the broadcaster had the potential to be the future African BBC.
His response to a question on whether this meant he wanted to pursue Motsoeneng’s vision of a 70 percent good-news policy was vague, with him saying only that a balance needed to be found.
Meanwhile, Leah Khumalo, who was recently appointed deputy chairwoman of the SABC’s board by President Jacob Zuma, insisted that the correct legal processes had been followed in appointing Matlala.
“I believe we do have a quorum… As a board we have satisfied the legal requirements,” she said.
As Khumalo was speaking, Motsoeneng interrupted.
“Frans Matlala (was) appointed before the three board members have left the organisation. It’s not a new matter. The only issue that was outstanding was the approval from the minister,” he said.
Board members Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi were axed recently under a cloud of controversy.
Last week, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi rejected legal opinion obtained by Parliament that their removal was unlawful.
Another question which both Matlala and Motsoeneng tried to sidestep was who would in fact be in charge of the organisation in the light of Matlala’s appointment.
Matlala said “cults around one particular individual” should not be entertained. “No one person can run and manage an organisation… If you’re asking who’s driving the organisation, it’s a bus we’re all going to be driving together.”
The Star