Cosatu welcomes no confidence vote in SABC board

New SABC board chairperson to concentrate on ensuring the SABC is ready for 2010

Cosatu’s Thulas Nxesi says they welcome the parliamentary committee decision of no confidence against the SABC board. The call was made by the ANC majority on Parliament's communications portfolio committee yesterday. It followed the leaking of a confidential board memorandum to the media.

The call came after a hearing by the communications portfolio committee into a leaked memorandum in which board chairperson, Kanyisiwe Mkonza, raised concerns about the management of the corporation under chief executive Dali Mpofu.

Addressing a May Day rally in Durban, Nxesi said Cosatu had complained for some time about the board. He says during the ANC Polokwane conference, the SABC was campaigning for people against ANC President Jacob Zuma.

The SABC has assured the public and staff that the resolution will not affect the day-to-day functioning and programming of the corporation.

The executive director for research at the University of South Africa (Unisa), Tinyiko Maluleke, says the ANC's call for the vote of no confidence in the SABC board is unprecedented.