Cape Town - The ANC stood its ground when it pushed for the nomination of two members of the interim SABC board, Febe Potgieter-Gqubule and Krish Naidoo, to be on the permanent board on Tuesday.
This despite the opposition crying foul that Potgieter-Gqubule and Naidoo were its deployees when the communication committee deliberated on the nominations.
The EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said Potgieter-Gqubule failed to understand the times and epoch that the SABC was entering in respect to where it has been.
“She thinks it is correct to be an ANC deployee to the board,” he said.
Ndlozi also said Potgieter-Gqubule indicated during interviews that she would step down from the board only if she was elected to the ANC’s national leadership in December.
Ndlozi also said Naidoo, who provides legal advice to the ANC, had told the interviewers that he “went to ask for permission from people in Luthuli House to come and help rebuild SABC”.
But the ANC’s Mondli Gungubele came to the defence of Potgieter-Gqubule and Naidoo.
Gungubele described Potgieter-Gqubule as someone who served society in various capacities and was on boards of some institutions, while Naidoo had no disputed track record in the fight against apartheid.
“They have a track record. When they served on the board, we never had negative views on their performance,” Gungubele said.
When the DA’s Phumzile van Damme asked for engagement among parties, Ndlozi said it was clear nomination of the pair was cast in stone.
The ANC’s Mziwamadoda Kalako said his party would not budge on the issue.
“We are not to change those names. You are not to pressure us,” he said, pointing out that there were names on the DA list they disapproved of.
“We are in Parliament We will have to go to a vote. It is up to you,” Kalako said.
The ANC’s Sisisi Tolashe said there was nothing in the pair being linked to the ANC.
“You must appreciate the ANC salvaged this country. We are here because of the ANC,” Tolashe said.
“We can’t judge South Africans who still want to serve because they are ANC (members). We should not be seen to be punishing people because of their involvement,” she charged.
The DA’s Gavin Davis said a key problem at the SABC was cadre deployment.
“We accept that the ANC wants to impose the will of a majority. That is why SABC is in crisis,” Davis said.
In addition to Potgieter-Gqubule and Naidoo, the committee nominated other interim board members Khanyisile Kweyama, Mathatha Tsedu and John Matisonn.
Others were Nomvuyiso Batyi, Rachel Kalidass, Michael Markovitz, Bongumusa Makhathini, Dinkwanyane Mohuba, Victor Rambau and Jack Phalane.
The names will be submitted to the National Assembly for adoption today, in order for President Jacob Zuma to make the appointment.
Earlier, criminal records and bad credit ratings came back to haunt some candidates who were interviewed last week.
The State Security Agency gave negative reports on four candidates and another who was disqualified.