SABC chairman, deputy quit

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President Jacob Zuma on Monday accepted the resignations of most members of the SABC board, including chairman Ben Ngubane. Photo: Simphiwe Mbokazi

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Johannesburg - SABC board chairman Ben Ngubane and his deputy, Thami ka Plaatjie, have resigned, the public broadcaster reported on Monday morning.

SABC radio news quoted communications spokesman Siya Qoza as saying President Jacob Zuma needed to decide whether to accept the resignations or not.

“(Communications Minister Dina) Pule has been quite concerned about the goings on at the board at the SABC,” said Qoza.

“In terms of the process… It will depend on what the president says and what happens to the SABC board. It will basically be determined by whether the president accepts or declines the resignations”.

On February 26, the broadcaster announced that the acting chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng had been “released from his duties”.

Thami ka Plaatjie. File photo: Bongiwe Mchunu

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It said that Mike Siluma, a veteran journalist and head of radio news and current affairs, had been appointed to the acting position.

But shortly after that, Ngubane was quoted in a newspaper report as saying that Motsoeneng had been reinstated. He said this decision had been made by Ka Plaatjie.

This prompted the SABC board to issue a media statement saying that “the report… is regrettable as neither the chairman nor the deputy chairman nor both have the power or authority to unilaterally change a board”.

The SABC board also said it would seek clarity from Ngubane and Plaatjie regarding the newspaper report.

Since then, Pule has asked Parliament to “urgently” review the fitness of the SABC board. - Sapa