Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma has appointed Obert Maguvhe as chairman of the SABC board and Leah Khumalo as his deputy, even as a battle over the removal of three other board members is set to resume in Parliament next week.
Maguvhe, an academic specialising in education for the visually impaired, had filled the post in an acting capacity since the resignation in disgrace of the former chair, Zandile Ellen Tshabalala, after it was found she had lied about her qualifications.
His tenure has been a tumultuous one, with the removal on the strength of resolutions by the board of Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi.
The move was supported by Communications Minister Faith Muthambi, who told Parliament earlier this year the Companies Act gave the board the authority to remove the three.
Maguvhe also said the board had followed due process.
However, a legal opinion obtained by Parliament’s communications oversight committee concluded the Broadcasting Act, under which only the president may remove board members, should trump the Companies Act and the removal of the board members was therefore unlawful.
Muthambi is to appear before the committee on Tuesday to respond to the legal opinion.
Khumalo is the founder and managing director of Durban law firm Mngoma-Mlaba & Khumalo and is also a former director of Sentech.
The presidency said in a statement on Friday the appointment of the two was with immediate effect and that Zuma wished them “all the best in their new responsibilities”.
Sekoetlane Phamodi, co-ordinator of the Support Public Broadcasting: SOS Coalition, said it was important for Maguvhe to demonstrate his commitment to the SABC’s public broadcasting mandate.
He had not yet stated his position on the broadcaster’s memorandum of incorporation, amended by Muthambi to give herself the power to appoint and remove SABC executives, or its editorial policy.
Political Bureau