The Presidency says President Cyril Ramaphosa is hopeful that a resolution would be found soon to resolve the impasse over the SABC Board appointment.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya was responding to questions during a media briefing at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Saturday will mark exactly six months since the previous board’s term ended on the 15th of October last year.
Last week, Parliament’s Communications Committee accepted the independent legal opinion that the National Assembly resolution on the SABC Board candidates that was questioned by Ramaphosa, remains in place.
National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula sent a letter to Ramaphosa on Tuesday to inform him about the decision.
Magwenya says the issue of a board less SABC is concerning. “The delay in appointing the SABC Board is deeply regrettable. The President fully appreciates the urgency of the matter. As you know, now the matter is in court. The President is hoping that sooner or later there will be a resolution of some sort to this matter, for the sake of the SABC and its stability but also for the sake of our own constitutional democracy which the SABC is an important pillar of.”
Meanwhile, Parliament’s Spokesperson Moloto Mothapo has confirmed that Mapisa-Nqakula wrote to Ramaphosa on Tuesday saying the National Assembly resolution on the SABC Board candidates remains in place.
“The President had enquired about the legal status of the additional three names on the list of board nominees approved by the Assembly last year. Upon the Speaker’s request, the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies reflected on the President’s inquiry and sought a legal opinion, resulting in a conclusion that now conveyed to the President by the Speaker. The Speaker has confirmed that the resolution adopted by the National Assembly last year is lawful and that the President is not precluded from selecting a candidate from the reserve pool of three names in case any of the 12 names are not legally appointable. The Speaker’s reply to the President was sent on Tuesday.”
