New communications minister gives SABC interim board go-ahead
The interim board was unable to start working after former minister Faith Muthambi requested that they first be vetted by the State Security Agency.
Home Affairs Minister Ayanda Dlodlo. Picture Phumlani Thabethe Date 06 August 2015
The SABC board has been given the green light to start working and to report to new Minister of Communications Ayanda Dlodlo by the end of the week.
Dlodlo was appointed last week by President Jacob Zuma to take control of the ailing ministry after her predecessor Muthambi was moved to the public service and administration portfolio.
The interim board was appointed a few weeks ago but could not begin work because Muthambi had requested their identity documents to be sent to the State Security Agency so they could be thoroughly vetted and cleared before implementing any decisions at the SABC.
The SABC has been in a frail state after Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s role as group chief of corporate affairs was deemed illegal by the Western Cape High Court.
The public broadcaster is apparently faced with a huge staff bill due to Motsoeneng’s “drive” to make freelancers permanent, leading to people being on the payroll who don’t necessarily have the skills to be moved to other areas of the business where staff are urgently required.
All vacancies have been frozen, which SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said was so that more of the people “in the building” could have their skills “fully utilised” because “the wage bill is already more than it should be”.
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