SABC

Four SABC Board Members Resign

Tuesday 19 October, 2010 - 13:33

The Save Our SABC (SOS) Coalition has warned that Parliament may battle to attract quality applicants for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board if the oversight functions of the parliamentary portfolio committee on communications and the communications ministry are not strengthened to ensure the board is given more support.

SOS spokesperson, Kate Skinner, points out that, “Government needs to get to the bottom of why these four resigned and what the underlying problem is at the SABC.”

Read more about Four SABC Board Members Resign

Ngubane Opposed Mokoetle’s Suspension

Monday 13 September, 2010 - 14:20

Chairperson of the South African Broadcasting Corporation Board, Ben Ngubane, has admitted that he had opposed the suspension of public broadcaster’s CEO Solly Mokoetle, because he believes Mokoetle has not held the position long enough for his performance to be properly evaluated.

Ngubane, who has been largely silent on the crisis at the SABC, points out that, “I did not think suspending him, simply because the turnaround strategy was not ready, would be right ... it’s still early days, we have not even been there nine months yet.”

Read more about Ngubane Opposed Mokoetle’s Suspension

SOS welcomes the Board’s Decision to suspend the SABC’s GCEO, Solly Mokoetle

The “SOS: Support Public Broadcasting” Campaign representing a number of trade unions including COSATU, COSATU affiliates CWU and CWUSA, FEDUSA and BEMAWU; independent film and TV production sector organisations including the South African Screen Federation (SASFED); and a host of NGOs and CBOs including the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-SA) and the National Community Radio Forum (NCRF); as well as a number of academics and freedom of expression activists welcome the SABC Board’s decision to suspend

Read more about SOS welcomes the Board’s Decision to suspend the SABC’s GCEO, Solly Mokoetle

Strengthening ICASA - Ensuring The Authority Acts Courageously In The Public Iinterest

Monday 23 August, 2010 - 15:17

The SOS Coalition invites you to a workshop on “Strengthening ICASA - Ensuring it acts courageously in the public interest” to be held on the Wednesday 25th August 2010.

The aim of the workshop is to empower a pool of resource people to act as media spokespeople specifically on the topic of the ICASA Amendment Bill and broader ICASA issues. All are welcome but community media people are especially encouraged to attend.

Read more about Strengthening ICASA - Ensuring The Authority Acts Courageously In The Public Iinterest

SABC Board Member Quits

Monday 16 August, 2010 - 16:42

Barbara Masekela, former ambassador to France and a prominent figure in the African National Congress, has tendered her resignation from the board of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

According to the Business Day, both Masekela and her fellow director, Magatho Mello, have written letters of resignation this month after losing patience with the conduct of the chairperson, Ben Ngubane and CEO, Solly Mokoetle.

Read more about SABC Board Member Quits

SABC Crisis Deepens - Parliament Must Investigate, Board Chair Must Resign or be Removed

The SOS Campaign representing trade unions (including Cosatu, Fedusa and Bemawu), NGOs (including Media Monitoring Africa, the Freedom of Expression Institute and Misa-SA), CBOs, industry related bodies (including SASFED), academics and freedom of expression activists notes with dismay the seemingly endless governance problems at the SABC.

Read more about SABC Crisis Deepens - Parliament Must Investigate, Board Chair Must Resign or be Removed

Freedom of Expression Institute: Concerns Regarding Media Independence and Censorship

The FXI is gravely concerned that political interference in the South African media landscape seems to be increasing. On the one hand, there have been calls from various political actors for a media tribunal to be established.

Read more about Freedom of Expression Institute: Concerns Regarding Media Independence and Censorship

SOS Congratulates the Board for Beginning to Address the Serious Corporate Governance Breaches at the SABC but Calls for Further Action

The SOS Campaign representing a number of trade unions (including Cosatu, Fedusa and Bemawu), a host of NGOs (including Media Monitoring Africa, the Freedom of Expression Institute and Misa-SA), CBOs, industry related bodies, academics and freedom of expression activists congratulate the SABC Board on beginning to remedy the serious corporate governance breaches at the SABC as regards the appointment of the Head of News.

Read more about SOS Congratulates the Board for Beginning to Address the Serious Corporate Governance Breaches at the SABC but Calls for Further Action

SOS Campaign: SOS Calls on the SABC Board to Explain the Actions it has Taken Regarding Serious Corporate Governance Breaches at the Corporation

The SOS Campaign representing a number of trade unions (including Cosatu and Fedusa), a host of NGOs (including Media Monitoring Africa, the Freedom of Expression Institute and Misa-SA), CBOs, industry related bodies, academics and freedom of expression activists note the deafening silence from the SABC as regards the illegal appointment of the Head of News.

As civil society we are still in the dark as to what is happening with a number of critical issues. We call on the SABC Board to:

Read more about SOS Campaign: SOS Calls on the SABC Board to Explain the Actions it has Taken Regarding Serious Corporate Governance Breaches at the Corporation

SOS Campaign: SOS Calls for the Board to Urgently Take Action Re: The Head of News

The SOS Campaign representing a number of trade unions, independent producer organisations and a host of NGOs, CBOs, academics and freedom of expression activists notes with dismay that the SABC CEO, Solly Mokoetle, has gone ahead and confirmed the appointment of Mr. Phil Molefe as Head of News. Given that the Board, which is required to make such an appointment, has already rescinded this appointment, Mr. Mokoetle is now further deepening the corporate governance crisis at the SABC.