DA Member of Parliament’s Communications Committee, Dianne Kohler-Barnard, has slammed both President Cyril Ramaphosa and former Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni over the SABC Board debacle.
This follows a media report that Ntshavheni questioned Phathiswa Magopeni’s inclusion on the board, saying it went against corporate governance prescripts.
Magopeni’s inclusion is reportedly reflected in a letter that Communications Committee Chairperson, Boyce Maneli, had written to National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
Maneli’s letter also reportedly forms part of the documents submitted by Ramaphosa in his answering affidavit to the Constitutional Court challenge by Media Monitoring Africa to force the president to appoint the board without delay.
Kohler-Barnard says she doesn’t care if Ramaphosa likes Magopeni or not.
“I have written to the president with zero response and today it emerges that the then minister attempted to insert herself between parliament and the president by questioning the portfolio decision on the list. It’s specifically claimed she has meddled, and I am talking (about) Khumbudzo Ntshavheni here by questioning our right as committee to include the former SABC Head of News on the board. Well, how dare she? How dare this president fails in his duty to appoint the board. What? Because he doesn’t like Phathiswa Magopeni. Well I don’t care if he likes her or not.”
Media Monitoring Africa takes Ramaphosa to court over SABC Board:
![[File Image] Pemmy Majodina addresses the chamber during the 2015 State of the Nation Address debate in Parliament, Cape Town.](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Pemmy-GCIS-120x86.jpg)
