Faith Muthambi is a ‘crocodile’ – Shilowa

Founding member of the Congress of the People (Cope) Mbhazima Shilowa has expressed his “respect” for Minister of Communications Faith Muthambi for her tenacity in a time when almost everyone is calling for her to be sacked.

Shilowa said Muthambi had showed that she was thick-skinned, calling her a “crocodile” following a report compiled by an ad hoc committee of parliament investigating the affairs at the SABC.

According to Shilowa, Muthambi was the first minister that parliament has called to be fired, and will be the first minister ever to take parliament to court.

Vho Faith Muthambi is a crocodile. Will be first Minister to take Parliament to court. First Minister Parly called to be sacked! I ngwenya

— Mbhazima Shilowa (@Enghumbhini) March 11, 2017

The minister said she would go to court to contest parliament’s SABC inquiry report, further labeling the ad hoc committee as “irrational and unlawful”.

Muthambi reportedly said that she felt “ambushed” by the process, and that her constitutional rights had been violated.

I didn't know that the Analyst at the "Family Channel" is also Adviser to Muthambi!

— Mbhazima Shilowa (@Enghumbhini) March 10, 2017

The report, which was adopted in the National Assembly on Tuesday, called on Zuma and parliament’s ethics committee to look into Muthambi’s competence to hold her position.

It followed a more than three month process by MPs, who heard testimony from various witnesses. They included journalists who objected to unethical editorial practices and told MPs some had received death threats.

Muthambi and former chairperson Mbulaheni Maguvhe, who could not adequately answer questions as easy as who the shareholder of the SABC was, also came before MPs.

Former board members, who were irregularly dismissed and who resigned because of a shambolic state of affairs within the board, also briefed MPs about the flouting of financial laws; the SABC providing resources to rival TV station ANN7, owned by the Gupta family, for its breakfast shows; and about Muthambi’s “interference” in the 2014 appointment of the chief operating officer as Hlaudi Motsoeneng, who is without a job following another court ruling against him.

While there are currently no non-executive board members, acting group chief executive James Aguma, acting chief operating officer Bessie Tugwana and acting chief financial officer Audrey Raphela remain as executive members of the board, but not for long.

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Additional reporting by ANA.