SABC interim board plans to reverse 90% local content rule

The SABC interim board on Monday disclosed plans to reverse former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s local content policy.

This was revealed during the board’s briefing to the Portfolio Committee on Communications.

The revelation follows an announcement by the board on Friday that it would review some of the controversial policies introduced by Motsoeneng.

“In terms of the 90/10 local music and 80/20 television quota decisions, the interim board has decided that it will review the decision, considering regulations by Icasa, the cost of implementing the decision and the governance around the directive made in this regard,” the board said in a statement.

The board also said that it had instructed SABC management to advertise the positions of COO and group chief executive officer “with immediate effect”.

Motsoeneng was replaced at the SABC after a damning Parliamentary ad hoc committee report found that the previous board had mismanaged the public broadcaster, leading to the loss of hundreds of millions of rands.

According to a Timeslive report, the interim board revealed some of the issues besetting the broadcaster, which include cash liquidity problems, a loss of audience and credibility.

Mathatha Tsedu, deputy chair of the interim board, also told MPs of the board’s recovery plan for the broadcaster, which “included a proposal to reverse Motsoeneng’s content policy”.

He further told the committee that former Communications Minister Faith Muthambi and some SABC staff members were making it difficult for the board to carry out its work.

The interim board was appointed in March by the President Jacob Zuma and ratified by Communications Minister Ayanda Dlodlo at the beginning of April.

Its mandate is to bring stability to the SABC within six months and restore confidence in the public broadcaster after the previous board collapsed.

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