Minister of Communications, Yunus Carrim, and Deputy Minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, met with the SABC Board yesterday to discuss the National Integrated ICT Policy Review, South Africa Connect; the country’s Broadband Policy, Plan and Strategy; the SABC’s strategic plan; SABC’s funding plan; and the Public Protector’s report.
The SABC committed to support the National Integrated ICT Policy Review and South Africa Connect to ensure that broadcasting is positioned adequately into the future.
On the Public Protector’s report, the board reported that they have met twice to consider the report and that a process has been put in motion. The board undertook to give the Ministry of Communications an update by the end of March 2014 on the way forward.
“We have given the board the legal opinion we received from the State Law Advisor. In their report, they are going to take into account this opinion,” says Deputy Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams.
The SABC welcomed the engagement with the Minister.
“The State Law Advisor’s opinion gives us additional pointers into how we should deal with this matter,” says SABC chairperson Zandile Ellen Tshabalala.
The meeting agreed that the matter needs to be attended to expeditiously.
There was also agreement that there was a need to review why the there was a high turnover of boards, group EOs and other senior executives.
The meeting heard that there was substantial progress made in dealing with the matter of the suspended SABC chief financial officer. The matter is expected to be resolved in due course.
