Cape Town - The SABC has approached the National Treasury to designate its group CEO, Madoda Mxakwe, as the accounting authority in the absence of a board of directors.
This was revealed by Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni when she responded to parliamentary questions.
EFF MP Vuyani Pambo wrote to Ntshavheni enquiring about the impact of delays in appointing a new SABC board on the management and functioning of the public broadcaster.
Pambo wanted to know what measures had been put in place to ensure that the SABC continued to fulfil its mandate despite the delays in the appointment of the board.
The delays are due to the outstanding vetting of the candidates that were interviewed by the portfolio committee in September by the State Security Agency, which falls under the Presidency.
The portfolio committee on communication and digital technologies could not make its recommendations to the House last month in order for President Cyril Ramaphosa to make appointments due to the pending vetting of the candidates.
This has led to a vacuum as the term of the previous board came to an end on October 15.
This as the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) resolved last week to write to Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele to brief it on the vetting of officials in state-owned entities, or face a subpoena.
The Hawks have also complained to Scopa about delays in the vetting of candidates earmarked for appointment in senior management positions.
In her written response, Ntshavheni said there was no material impact as the board of the SABC did not run the operations of the corporation.
“In terms of the SABC’s corporate plan, there are no scheduled matters that cannot be processed by the entity without board approval,” she said.
Ntshavheni also said in the event of matters requiring the board’s decisions arising, a section in the Public Finance Management Act would be activated.
The SABC has requested that Mxakwe be designated as the accounting authority until the board had been appointed.
“The department has since requested the approval of the National Treasury regarding the designation of the CEO as an accounting authority of the SABC,” Ntshavheni added.
Cape Times