SABC exactly a month without a board

Tuesday marks exactly a month since the former SABC Board’s term of office ended on 15 October.

The public broadcaster has been without a board ever since.

This comes as the Parliamentary process to recommend the twelve most suitable candidates for appointment by the President to serve on the board, has been delayed.

The delay has been caused by the State Security Agency’s (SSA) slow vetting of the shortlisted candidates who were interviewed for the board vacancies in September.

It stalled the Sub-Communications Committee’s deliberations to choose the best candidates.

The SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition and some opposition parties in Parliament blamed the delay on the Portfolio Communications Committee.

Since the announcement of the delay of vetting the 34 candidates was made, different reasons were given almost every week on why there was a delay.

The initial reason was that the SSA’s vetting system was dysfunctional.

By Tuesday last week, Committee Chairperson Boyce Maneli told members that the vetting of four more candidates were outstanding, saying the SSA reported that the problem was not on their side but the fingerprint system of the South African Police Services (SAPS).

The delay in the appointing the new board comes despite the assurance Maneli had given, that there was commitment to finalise the entire Parliamentary process of recommending a board by the end of last month and not later than the beginning of November.

The video below is reporting more on the story: