Muthambi summoned to Parliament over SABC crisis

Communications Minister Faith Muthambi giving a keynote address at the BMF’s Women of Excellence Gala Dinner as part of Women’s Month commemoration held at Protea Hotel in Limpopo. 23/08/2014 Kopano Tlape

Communications Minister Faith Muthambi giving a keynote address at the BMF’s Women of Excellence Gala Dinner as part of Women’s Month commemoration held at Protea Hotel in Limpopo. 23/08/2014 Kopano Tlape

Published Jul 20, 2016

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Communications Minister Faith Muthambi has been hauled before Parliament to brief MPs on the crisis at the SABC.

Chairman of the portfolio committee on communications Humphrey Maxegwana said on Wednesday that Muthambi will appear before the committee in August.

This comes as the SACP promised to take the SABC to court to reinstate seven of the sacked journalists and force the SABC Board to fire Chief Operating Officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

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SACP second deputy general-secretary Solly Mapaila told the march outside the SABC offices in Cape Town on Wednesday that the time for Motsoeneng to go was now.

Maxegwana said they have called on Muthambi to appear before the committee on the SABC.

The meeting has been scheduled for August 23, and Muthambi will shed light on the crisis facing the SABC.

Mapaila accused the SABC Board of acting in collusion with management to destroy the institution.

He said the SACP would not relent in its efforts to fix the SABC and make it a public broadcaster once again.

Maxegwana said the sacking of the workers was worrying.

“Although not privy to the merits and demerits of the cases, resignations and dismissal of employees are a reason for concern, especially in a country with high levels of unemployment,” said Maxegwana.

“The SABC’s mandate is to broadcast in the public interest, but lately there has been a public outcry about developments at the corporation. This is another reason for concern,” he said.

The SACP also pledged solidarity with the axed seven journalists, and wants the SABC to reinstate them.

Mapaila said they were exploring legal options on the SABC.

They wanted the SABC board to take action against Motsoeneng because his appointment was illegal and irrational.

Mapaila said they were not too late in taking legal action against the SABC.

What they wanted the court to do was to force the board to act in compliance with the findings of the Public Protector and the orders of the Western Cape High Court.

He said the SABC was not the pet house of Motsoeneng, but a public broadcaster.

The SABC board was appointed by President Jacob Zuma on the recommendations of the National Assembly.

The SACP intends launching the court action if the SABC failed to act on their demands.

The SABC has in the past ignored several court orders, but Mapaila said their final action on the SABC will look at all the previous court challenges.

This week the SABC fired journalists Foeta Krige, Jacques Steenkamp, Suna Venter, Busisiwe Ntuli, Lukhanyo Calata, Thandeka Gqubule and Krivani Pillay.

The ANC has said it was going to wait for the resumption of Parliament to set up a meeting of the portfolio committee on communications to discuss the SABC.

The ANC National Working Committee last week called for the urgent meeting of the communications committee in Parliament.

Motsoeneng has been accused of ignoring state institutions on the SABC.

This includes the decisions of the courts, the Public Protector and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa.

Trade unions Broadcasting, Electronic, Media and Allied Workers Union and Solidarity promised to lodge an urgent application in the Labour Court today (THUR) to reinstate the sacked journalists at the SABC.

The SABC has been widely condemned for its mass dismissal of the journalists.

Political Bureau

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