The Deputy Minister in the Office of the President, the Honorable Ms Dina Pule, gave a heartwarming speech at the welcome dinner on the occasion of the swearing in of new MDDA Board members. Ms Louise Vale, Ms Phelisa Nkomo and Ms Nadia Bulbilia,who started their work with the rest of the MDDA Board, last Thursday, after Wednesday's welcome dinner and swearing in. The Deputy Minister highlighted the importance of the work of the MDDA, emphasizing in her speech that even today, 'the people of South Africa remain hungry for information and divergent views that reflect the societies they live in' She further went on to emphasize that the limited voices we have in our media should be diversified, to increase the choice of all South Africans, especially in their mother tongues'.
The occasion also served as a farewell dinner to the outgoing board members, who through the voice of ex-board member Nomonde Gongxeka, thanked the people of South Africa for the tremendous belief shown to them by being entrusted with this national treasure, whose work remains pivotal, to millions of people who live particularly in rural South Africa.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communication and MP, Honourable Eric Kholwane, who echoed the above sentiments, further went on to urge all the stakeholders of the MDDA to increase their funding to the organization, so that the capacity of the MDDA is boosted in all parts of South Africa, so as to particularly benefit the community print media sector.
The vote of thanks was given by Acting Board Chair,Ms Nebo Legoabe,who commended the portfolio committee, on the number of women that now make up the Board of the MDDA,in termed it a time of 'thinking outside the box' to further advance the agenda of media development and diversity in South Africa.
The MDDA welcomes the new Board members, commit to working with and supporting them, look forward to their leadership and guidance in the governance of the Agency, and wish them all the best in the quest to pursue the mandate enshrined in the MDDA Act. The new members took an oath or affirmation on the 26th January 2011 committing them to fairness, freedom of expression, openness and accountability, and upholding and protecting the Constitution and other laws of the Republic.
