MDDA Board vacancies: Committee Report Shortlisting candidates for interviews

Meeting report

The Chairperson said the Committee would be considering and adopting the Report of the Subcommittee on Communications on the vacancies on the Board of the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA).

The Committee Secretary read through the Report which read as follows:

“A letter dated 4 November 2019 was received from the Acting Speaker of the National Assembly, informing the Committee that he had received a letter from the Minister in the Presidency: Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, communicating the existence of vacancies on the Board of the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), and requesting the Assembly to initiate a process of nominating and recommending candidates for appointment by the President in line with section 4(1)(a) of the MDDA Act, 2002 (Act No 14 of 2002).

 The Committee considered the letter from the Minister in the Presidency and the Acting Speaker of the National Assembly and resolved that the committee secretariat should proceed with the process of publishing an advertisement in the media calling for the nomination of persons to fill the four vacancies on the MDDA Board. The advertisement was published in all eleven official languages in two national newspapers, two regional newspapers and seven community media newspapers. One hundred and twenty-six nominations were received.

On 21 May 2020, the Committee met to consider the criteria and skills required to fill the four vacancies. The Committee agreed that a maximum number of 20 candidates will be shortlisted and unanimously resolved that the following candidates be shortlisted for interviews: Ms Lichelle Barry, Ms Sibusisiwe Chimombe, Ms Marina Clarke, Ms Bernedette Muthien, Mr Luzuko Buku, Mr Edwin Naidoo, Mr Lionel Adendorf, Ms Nomfundo Kakaza, Dr Ayanda Vilakazi, Ms Blaise Koetsie, Mr Simphiwe Mbabane,

Ms Brenda Leonard, Mr Qondile Kedama, Adv Leah Khumalo, Mr Dumile Matheza, Mr Hlengani Mathebula, Ms Nikelwa Tengimfene, Ms Rosie Motene, Ms Nolitha Pietersen and Ms Andiswa Ngcingwana.

The Committee would proceed with the interviews of the shortlisted candidates but would only report to the National Assembly after the qualifications of the candidates have been verified and their security checks have been conducted”

The Report was unanimously adopted by the Committee.

Ms A Mthembu (ANC) appreciated the work of the Subcommittee and was pleased the Report was adopted as is.

The meeting was adjourned.