Mbeki urges judiciary probe into SABC

Former president Thabo Mbeki File picture: Masi Losi

Former president Thabo Mbeki File picture: Masi Losi

Published Jul 10, 2016

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Johannesburg - Former president Thabo Mbeki has broken his silence on the unfolding drama at the SABC and urged President Jacob Zuma to institute a judicial commission of inquiry into the affairs of the public broadcaster.

Mbeki - a custodian of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation - was not alone in making the call to Zuma. He was joined by various leaders of eminent foundations such as Chief Albert Luthuli, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy, Robert Sobukwe, Helen Suzman, Umlambo, FW de Klerk and Jakes Gerwel.

The foundations made the call to Zuma while the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) was expected to take a decision on Monday on the public broadcaster’s unannounced policy changes recently, including not showing violent protests on TV.

The initiative submitted that Zuma should immediately constitute a judicial commission of inquiry to review and make recommendations concerning the SABC corporate governance systems, operations, adherence or otherwise to the Constitution of the Republic, the Broadcasting Act, the SABC Charter and all relevant labour legislation.

The initiative also noted that other public institutions have experienced, or were experiencing, similar governance and leadership failures.

“These include, but are not limited to, the unceremonious coerced departure of senior personnel, often resulting in leadership vacuums, questionable procurement and other ill-advised decisions as well as appointments of people of doubtful backgrounds, qualifications and abilities.

“This trend has manifested at the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions, the SAPS, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), Prasa, SAA, the South African Post Office, the South African Revenue Service, the National Energy Fund, PetroSA and now, recently, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),” the initiative said.

The cumulative effect of the crises in each of these institutions portends the destruction of public services and the state machinery itself, the initiative noted. “This in turn constitutes a threat to the wellbeing of the people as a whole and therefore our national security. As the poet put it: Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.’ Our country cannot and must not accept this!

“We, the undersigned foundations, informed by the commitment to the constitutional imperative of an independent public broadcasting service which faithfully contributes to democracy as laid down in the Broadcasting Act, wish to express ourselves strongly about recent and on-going events at the SABC. Elements within the SABC have established a deeply troubling practice of flouting corporate governance principles.”

Elsewhere, the document states: “At the core of democracy lies the recognition of the right of all citizens to be armed with the necessary information and have access to the contesting options they require to make informed choices.

“An ignorant society cannot be democratic.”

Presidency spokesperson Bongani Ngqulunga could not comment at the time of going to press.

Political Bureau

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