National Assembly, 1st July 2009

Mr Speaker,

The current problems besetting the SABC call for urgent interventions aimed at beginning the process to save the SABC as an important public institution.  We take the view that the SABC as a public broadcaster is an important national asset which must be saved from destruction at all costs.

The spate of resignations of Board Members has led to the current paralysis which hampers the ability of the SABC to operate efficiently in fulfilment of its mandate as a public broadcaster.  Quite clearly, we cannot in the national interest allow the present paralysis to strangle the SABC to death.

It is for this reason that we call upon this National Assembly to dissolve what is left of the board so as to allow a process for the nomination of an interim board to take place to run the affairs of the SABC for six months while a new board is being selected.

Removing the current board will not however solve all the problems at the SABC.  It is imperative that we get down to the root causes of the problems which have led to this debacle.  That is why we in the IFP are calling for a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate all the factors which have led to this paralysis, including the funding model and make the recommendations which will give this nation a true public broadcaster.

Such an inquiry will help all people concerned, that is those who served in the Board and the Executive management, to have their names cleared or otherwise, of all sorts of unsavoury accusations and allegations and most importantly whether there has been any political interference and manipulation.

I thank you.

Contact: Rev Musa Zondi, 083 440 5966.