The 'fantastic four' appointees will replace Felleng Sekha (former board chairperson), Barbara Masekela, David Niddrie and Makgatho Mello, who resigned last year under mysterious circumstances.
Media appeals tribunal supporter
The DA called Mtimde's appointment "inappropriate" and "counter-productive", forsaking him for overtly supporting and embracing his party's proposed creation of a media appeals tribunal (MAT). However, Mtimde last night, Tuesday, 1 March 2011, refused to be drawn into the DA's war of words, declining to comment.
He told Bizcommunity.com: "I have no comment. I answered those questions from DA and COPE during the interview, where I clearly proved to them that I fully support media freedom which is a constitutionally protected right and that MAT (as proposed by ANC) does not threaten media freedom.
"I am not available to comment any further. I suggest you contact the appointing authority."
Of the remaining three, Danana is a businessman, Mahlati is the former CEO of Gauteng Tourism Authority and Makhesha - a consensus nominee - is an executive of Safcol. The four are to be debated and confirmed by the National Assembly, and lastly submitted to the president, who will then make the final appointment.
More of a formality
SOS Support Public Broadcasting spokesperson Kate Skinner told Bizcommunity.com yesterday that the process from here is more of a formality, as members' names will be ratified at the end.
Meanwhile, the SABC has refuted weekend news reports that it is firing employees, including senior managers. "These reports are not true and create a false impression that people were being fired, while in actual fact the respective contracts had or were coming to an end," said spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.
He explained that Ray Nkwe's contract came to an end, but he decided to pursue his business interests. Nkwe is the SABC1 general manager.
Another example, he said, is Ron Morobe, who left the corporation as he was due to go on retirement. "In other cases, certain high level posts have been made redundant, as the desired outcome would be achieved by realigning the work to other managers in the corporation at lower cost."
ICASA councillor candidates
In another development, Marcia Socikwa and Nomonde Gongxeka have been selected out of the five candidates who were interviewed for the position of Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) councillor. The two names will be submitted to the minister of communications, who will then appoint one to begin a four-year term. Together, ICASA has nine councillors and one chairperson.
Socikwa's term has just ended and she has reapplied for another term, while former TV actress Gongxeka, of the SABC's department of public affairs, is a former MDDA board member.
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