The SABC, like this Parliament, is a creature of statute and its independence as public broadcaster was one of the critical pillars of the new constitutional democracy. In fact, long before the 1994 elections, the management and control of the SABC was placed in the hands of people who could be trusted to no longer allow the SABC to be the voice of the apartheid government. However, the sad reality today is that the SABC is steadily slipping into muddy waters. It has done so during the past three to four years as some elements in the ruling alliance wanted to strengthen their political grip on the public broadcaster, often to settle internal fights.
It is a pity that answers to important questions could not be answered by the Minister of Communications yesterday, perhaps deliberately. These questions relate to matters that will have an impact on the finances of the SABC. The question related to procedures for the appointment of the group chief executive officer, CEO, Mr Phil Molefe. If his appointment is found to be irregular, which we as Cope believe, the SABC will again be embroiled in a protracted legal battle, which will necessitate a further bail-out from tax coffers.
Cope calls on the Minister of Communications to come clean. Inform this House that the SABC general meeting called in July was irregularly called and held in the absence of a duly appointed deputy chairperson for the SABC board, which nullifies decisions taken during that meeting. If not, South Africa will hold the Minister and the ruling party responsible for wasteful expenditure in these legal battles.