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The shortlist of candidates to fill the eight vacancies on the SABC board has been finalised by the portfolio committee of communications.
The list will now be forwarded to the National Assembly.
Here is the list
Mary Papayya
Jasmina Patel
Advocate Motshedi Benjamin Lekalakala
Professor Saths Cooper
Dr Marcia Socikwa
Mamaduphi Mohlala-Mulaudzi
Bernedette Muthien
David Maimela
Filling up the board
In late 2018 four board members of the public broadcaster resigned, leaving a total of eight vacancies on the board that needed to be filled urgently as part of the embattled public broadcaster's turnaround plan.
Ads were placed for candidates with skills in the areas of accounting, journalism and governance, among others. A total of 24 candidates were shortlisted by the end of February 2019.
The abridged CVs of the candidates were then published on Parliament's website for public comment. Interviews commenced on March 5 and continued until March 7.
Following the interviews, each of the political parties represented on the communications committee deliberated on their preferred set of candidates to fill the vacancies. Then, prior to deliberations on Thursday morning, political parties met to compare candidate lists and find common ground.
The final list of candidates put forward is based on the ANC's list, as the party has a majority of members on the committee.
DA MP Phumzile van Damme told the portfolio committee chairperson Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize that no consensus was reached between parties. The EFF and DA had expressed the view that candidates had to have experience in the broadcasting sector to "hit the ground running", while the ANC pushed for candidates with experience in leadership.
The ANC defended its list of candidates as having a variety of skills, independent and not easy to manipulate.
The report on the process of choosing the candidates will now be submitted to the National Assembly for debate and final adoption.
However, as the house rises next week, it is not certain whether it will be on the agenda for either of the plenaries.
On Tuesday, financial data submitted by the SABC to Parliament showed that it risked factual insolvency by March 31. Chief Financial Officer Yolande van Biljon further warned that "day zero", when salaries would not be able to be paid, could occur at "any day".
However, Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams assured the portfolio committee on communications that the embattled public broadcaster would have funds to pay salaries by the end of March, as it had requested help from Treasury.
