Parliament - The SABC board have stuck to their guns by refusing to resign after they were asked by the portfolio committee on communications in Parliament to go.
The chairperson of the committee, Humphrey Maxegwana, also confirmed on Monday that they would bar the remaining board members from attending a meeting with MPs when the SABC presents its financials.
Maxegwana said only the Minister of Communications, Faith Muthambi, and the executives of the SABC would be allowed to brief MPs on October 19 on the financial performance of the corporation over the past year.
The SABC tabled its financials in Parliament two weeks ago, showing another massive loss of R411 million for the year and an increase of Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s salary from R3.7 million to R4.1m.
Maxegwana said the board was barred from attending the meeting of the committee next Wednesday where the SABC will brief MPs on the financial performance of the SABC.
“On October 19, the SABC will come to Parliament to present their annual report with audited financial statements.
“We have called the minister and the executive management of the SABC,” he said.
The board will not be part of this meeting as it did not have a quorum.
Last week, SABC board chairperson Mbulaheni Maguvhe remained defiant and said they would not resign.
The board could not take any decisions as it did not have a quorum.
This is one of the calls made by MPs for the board to resign as it could no longer take decisions and hold meetings.
It was established that former group executive of corporate affairs Bessie Tugwana was illegally appointed acting chief operating officer by the board because it did not have a quorum.
Members of the committee contested the appointment of Tugwana, saying there was no quorum to appoint her as acting chief operating officer.
This was after Krish Naidoo and Vusi Mavuso told MPs last week they were not in a meeting to appoint Tugwana to the position.
The appointment of Motsoeneng to the position of group executive of corporate affairs will be challenged in court after the DA confirmed it will ask the Western Cape High Court to rescind the appointment.
The DA will also ask the court to refuse the appointment of Motsoeneng to any position at the SABC.
This is based on the serious findings of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela that he had forged his matric certificate.
Madonsela said in her report in February 2014 that Motsoeneng had personally included his own symbols in his matric certificate to give himself a pass.
This was after he failed matric in the 1990s while studying in his hometown in the Free State.
SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said he would not comment on whether the board would step down.
He said the committee had written to the SABC individually and they would respond in writing to the committee in the SABC’s own individual capacity.
Political Bureau