Madam Speaker, the ANC has never bothered to explain its unhappiness with the three SABC board members, imposed on them by Luthuli House pre-Polokwane, which turned into a concerted and shameful attack against the whole board, nine of whom they chose.
Their attempt to ambush the board and pass a motion of no confidence failed. They are now using a proposal which I made to them when their party first started to exert pressure on them, post-Polokwane, with regard to the three imposed persons. I suggested that we should introduce legislation in order to amend the Act's removal provision.
The Act uses the Chapter 9 institutions' appointment mechanism - because independence is important - and it should, in fact, give Parliament a commensurate role in removal, as for the Chapter 9 ones.
I see from the draft Bill that the ANC has taken another lesson from me, and that is that there has to be grounds for removal, misconduct, incapacity and so forth. Removal cannot be arbitrary, because the process is then open to political abuse.
However, from that point onwards this proposal deteriorates and becomes unacceptable. Why should the dissolution of an entire independent body be contemplated? Is it conceivable that an entire body of eminent persons would be found one by one to be incapacitated? That is certainly not what is going on at the SABC, and that is not the purpose of this amendment. The purpose is a political purge.
And the proposal for an interim board is a dead giveaway. Mr Dali Mpofu and the chief financial officer and the chief operating officer are to form the interim board, in terms of the draft Bill. They are to be joined by four persons appointed - wait for it - directly by the President. But that was the problem to begin with! It is contrary to the Broadcasting Act to allow the executive a direct role. Yet, now we are being asked to legislate on the exact thing that caused the unhappiness in the first place because power has passed to different hands.
I would say that we should refer this memorandum back under Rule 238 (3) for reconsideration of the dissolution and the interim board provisions, if I had any hope of sense prevailing - I do not. That committee is not capable, with respect, of due process and I suggest that the House should refuse the permission. [Applause.]