SABC board re-advertises the positions of CEO and CFO

After the former minister of communications Ayanda Dlodlo told Parliamentarians she found the quality of applicants for the positions of group chief executive officers (GCEO) and chief financial officers (CFO) inadequate, it appears the new minister Khensani Kubayi and the new board have heeded her warning and re-advertised the positions.

Kubayi herself announced that she will be appealing the latest high court ruling that her ministerial powers do not include a discretion to approve a shortlist of those to be appointed for the two top positions at the public broadcaster.

The position of chief operations officer (COO), previously controversially occupied by Hlaudi Motsoeneng before he was declared a non-employee of the Auckland Park based state owned entity by the Labour court, has not been advertised and Bessie Tugwana is currently the incumbent.

Recently, accountant Rachel Kalidass resigned from the board after she alleged the new board led by Bongumusa Makhathini showed preferential treatment towards former Land Bank managing director Alan Mukoki to become CEO.

READ MORE: Rachel Kalidass quits the SABC board

The CEO, COO, CFO and company secretary are all ex-officio board members and will join Makhathini, together with ANC bigwig Febe Potgieter-Gqubule; Krish Naidoo; former interim chairperson Khanyisile Kweyama; author John Matisonn; veteran journalist Mathata Tsedu and other board members in steering the company towards financial stability.

The CFO “is responsible for the SABC’s financial performance and for managing the corporation’s finances. The CFO is also responsible for developing financial strategies and for ensuring they are implemented in compliance with the broadcasting act, the electronic communications act, the public finance management act and other relevant corporate governance protocols,” the advert states.

It is also divulged “the SABC is experiencing a ‘slow but steady’ economic recovery but will continue to be challenged in meeting ongoing demands placed on it by the public mandate and the demands of migration to digital broadcasting.”

The CEO “will be accountable to the board of directors and will be expected to create shareholder value by providing the vision, leadership, turnaround strategy and general management skills necessary to grow the SABC into a dominant player in the broadcasting industry.”

The CEO should possess a master’s degree, “preferably MBA or similar”, with 10 years experience gained within the media industry, “five of which should have been at group executive level.”

The CFO must be a qualified chartered accountant with “at least 10 years’ experience managing a complex financial operation, with experience involving budgeting, financial analysis and accounting.”

Warrior Talent has been contracted as the recruitment agency for the two positions and the closing date for application is 31 January, 2018. Details are available on the public broadcaster’s website.

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