Johannesburg - The SABC board must explain the removal of its acting chief operating officer to Parliament's portfolio committee on communication, the DA said on Wednesday.
“I have written to the committee's chairperson, Sikhumbuzo Kholwane, asking him toconvene a meeting to discuss a way forward for the SABC out of its current crisis,” Democratic Alliance MP Marian Shinn said in a statement.
The broadcaster announced on Tuesday that Hlaudi Motsoeneng had been “released from his duties”.
“Mr Motsoeneng will revert back to his position as group executive: provinces,” it said in a statement.
“The board would like to thank Mr Motsoeneng for his contribution during his time as acting chief operating officer.”
Shinn said the SABC had to appear “as a matter of urgency”.
“While 1/8we 3/8 welcome Mr Motsoeneng’s removal from a post he was unqualified to hold and which he abused to control editorial and advertising content to suit his ANC friends, the circumstances of his removal give rise to grave concern about the credibility of the board and its leadership.”
Comment from SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago could not be immediately obtained.
Shinn said South Africa needed to hear why SABC board chairman Ben Ngubane declined to attend an unscheduled board meeting on Tuesday after a decision was made to cancel the board's meeting with the committee.
“It seems that some members of the board were unhappy with the contents of the report Mr Motsoeneng had compiled detailing the status of the Special Investigating Unit’s progress on investigations and charges against former and current SABC board members and former and current employees,” Shinn alleged.
“The SABC has been rocked by crises of mismanagement, corruption and an unstable board for close on 15 years. Radical action is needed to put in place a credible, appropriately skilled, experienced and politically neutral leadership to manage the broadcaster’s turnaround strategy.” - Sapa