Suspension of the SA Broadcasting Corporation's (SABC's) acting CTO, Gelfand Kausiyo, is worrying for the corporation's ability to meet the country's digital migration deadline.
Democratic Alliance shadow communications minister Natasha Michael says the SABC has been in trouble for some time regarding digital migration and this suspension just worsens the situation.
“First it was Richard Waghorn and now we are continuously falling behind. Every time we take one step forward, we take two back.”
Waghorn resigned as CTO of the SABC in October 2011.
“I think it's very worrying for the SABC. I'd like to see full documentation on the suspension. If they carry on in this way, they'll never make the 2013 deadline.”
SA has set 2013 as its deadline for moving over to digital broadcasting, away from analogue.
Internal investigation
Kausiyo was suspended just two months after being appointed. The corporation says it cannot divulge any details as there is an ongoing investigation into allegations of misconduct.
The investigation is being carried out internally, according to GM of group communications Kaizer Kganyago.
Regional Radio Broadcast Facilities manager of the Free State and Northern Cape Sipho Masinga will fill in as acting CTO, while the investigation is under way.
Kausiyo was appointed acting CTO in November 2011, after Waghorn left the SABC in October. He was suspended on Friday, according to Kganyago.
Maintaining independence
The Department of Communications (DOC) on Tuesday announced the appointment of new SABC group CEO Lulama Mokhobo, who was appointed with immediate effect for a period of five years.
The DOC says she has the relevant qualifications, skills, capabilities and experience required for the position.
“Mokhobo's appointment reaffirms [communication] minister [Dina] Pule's commitment to, after due process and consideration, quickly fill the top executive positions at the public broadcaster. This should allow the SABC to deliver broadcasting services to the South African public in a cost-effective manner,” says the department.
The SOS Coalition has welcomed the appointment. However, it is concerned that five SABC board members have resigned since the beginning of 2010.
“We hope that the board is prepared honestly and carefully to assess the reasons for these resignations. In line with this assessment, we hope that the board is putting measures in place to ensure that some of the deep-seated corporate governance problems, including alleged board infighting, that have unfolded in the past do not recur in future.”
The coalition also highlights what it calls an ongoing problem, which is the appointment of SABC executives by Pule.
“The minister played a key role in approving the appointments of the three executive members of the SABC board, including the chief executive officer, chief operating officer and chief financial officer.”
It explains that this is a problem when trying to ensure the independence of the SABC from all vested interests, be they government or commercial.
“The board should take sole responsibility for these appointments without any input from the ministry.”
Share