Amy Musgrave
12 May 2008
Johannesburg — AS THE day draws closer for the debate on a vote of no confidence on the SABC board in Parliament, the broadcaster's executive appears to be scrambling to manage the public relations fallout at the SABC.
The responsible minister, Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, claimed that the tit-for-tat suspensions of SABC CEO Dali Mpofu and head of news Snuki Zikalala were not linked.
Last Tuesday Mpofu suspended Zikalala, and was later suspended himself by the board .
Speaking at the weekend, the minister said there seemed to be no link between the suspension of the two men.
Matsepe-Casaburri said the information she had received from a briefing indicated the board's reasons for the suspensions had to do with an issue of governance and an attempt to avoid a developing "crisis".
"Their concerns centre around issues of the budget, sports rights, staff problems at executive level and the impact that all these have on the business of the SABC," she said .
While the minister said she had yet to receive a response from Mpofu in order for her "to have an impartial view", newspapers reported at the weekend that the suspended CEO would take legal action against the SABC board.
Insiders at the SABC said Mpofu's move against Zikalala was pre-emptive action following widespread speculation that the chairwoman of the board, Kanyisiwe Mkonza, was planning to fire Mpofu and replace him with Zikalala.
The battle for control of the public broadcaster has its roots in the internal fights of the African National Congress (ANC). The tripartite alliance, at its summit this weekend in Johannesburg, backed the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) view that the current board appointed by President Thabo Mbeki was not sufficiently representative.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said: "This matter requires the urgent attention of the alliance, Parliament and the government."
While Matsepe-Casaburri said the interim measures taken by the board ensured that management of the SABC continued under "capable hands", the summit took a different view.
Only Mbeki has the prerogative to dissolve the board as legislation does not permit Parliament to do so.
However, there is a sentiment that existing legislation should be amended to allow Parliament instead of Mbeki to dissolve the board.
Amid the continuing drama, Matsepe-Casaburri has appealed for calm.
"The public (should) ... remain calm, avoid speculation and incorrect reporting that further damages the image of a national entity that belongs to all of us."
On Thursday, Matsepe-Casaburri said that the government would not intervene in the apparent dispute between the SABC board and its executive management.
The board was responsible for appointing the SABC's executives, so "they have to hire and fire", she told a media briefing at Parliament .
She said legislation allowed her to do very little and her task was simply to "supervise" the work of the SABC. With Sapa
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