(Subcommittee) MDDA Vacancies: Discussion & Recommendation

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Communications and Digital Technologies

10 March 2022
Chairperson: Mr B Maneli (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

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A subcommittee on Communications met on the virtual platform to deliberate on the outcome following interviews to fill two vacancies on the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) Board. The subcommittee was tasked to recommend two candidates from the list of shortlisted candidates for the President to make the final appointments.

Members of the subcommittee found consensus and resolved to nominate Ms Carol Mohlala and Ms Martina Della Togna to fill the two vacancies on the MDDA Board. 

Meeting report

The Chairperson welcomed all attendees on the virtual platform and indicated that the meeting may begin.

The Chairperson indicated that the purpose of the meeting was for the subcommittee to deliberate on the outcome of the interviews for two vacancies on the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) Board. The Chairperson requested that the subcommittee make two recommendations from the interviewed candidates for the President to consider and make his final appointments.  

The Committee noted Ms A Mthembu’s (ANC) apology as she was unwell.

Briefing on the appointment process to fill two vacancies on the MDDA Board

Mr Thembinkosi Ngoma, Committee Secretary, briefed the subcommittee on the appointment process to fill two vacancies on the MDDA Board.  

According to the MDDA Act, the Board consists of nine members of which six must be appointed by the President following recommendation by the National Assembly.

Currently, the Board consists of seven members due to the end of terms for former board members Ms M Della Togna and Dr N Mbava. Their terms both ended on 20 October 2020. Thus, the subcommittee’s task is to nominate persons to fill the two vacancies of non-executive members of the board of the MDDA.

The Committee’s nomination process was provided to Members. 56 nominations in total were received and 13 candidates were shortlisted. The subcommittee consisted of seven members of which four were from the African National Congress (ANC), one from the Democratic Alliance (DA), one from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and one from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).

Deliberation

The Chairperson reminded Members that the subcommittee needed to come up with two names from the list of shortlisted candidates interviewed to recommend to the President.  

On behalf of the ANC, Mr T Gumbu (ANC), nominated Mr Luzuko Buku as the party’s first preferred candidate, followed by Ms Della Togna as its second preferred candidate. He explained that both candidates had demonstrated well in the interview processes. Mr Buku was a young person whereas Ms Della Togna was a former board member of the MDDA and she is a woman. Hence, the ANC nominated those two candidates.

On behalf of the DA, Ms T Bodlani (DA), nominated Ms Malini Maharaj as its first preferred candidate and Ms Della Togna as its second preferred candidate. 

Mr V Pambo (EFF), on behalf of the EFF, nominated only one candidate Ms Carol Mohlala. The EFF viewed Ms Mohlala’s background as interesting and recognised the value of her using her space to advocate for the LGBTQI community as well as being a communication manager for human rights.

Ms Z Majozi (IFP), on behalf of the IFP, nominated Ms Della Togna as its first preferred candidate and Ms Blaise Koetsie as its second preferred candidate.

The Chairperson believed that Ms Della Togna has unquestionably been the preferred candidate by three of the four political parties. He asked Members to deliberate on the remaining recommendation.

Mr Pambo said that the EFF emphatically supported the nomination of Ms Mohlala because of her background as an African black woman and her interesting experience in advocating for the LGBTQI community. Since the EFF had forfeited one recommending candidate, he asked other parties to agree with his party’s nomination.

Ms Majozi said she had no issue endorsing Ms Mohlala as Mr Pambo had motivated. However, she asked Mr Pambo to endorse Ms Della Togna in return.

The Chairperson responded that Mr Pambo had indicated that he did not oppose Ms Della Togna’s nomination, thus finalising her recommendation for the MDDA board appointment.

Ms Bodlani indicated her dilemma. She had been informed her party’s first preferred candidate, Ms Maharaj, demonstrated solid understanding of the values and importance of partnership building as a foundation for improving the MDDA’s long-term sustainability. Hence, she was persuaded to keep Ms Maharaj as the first preferred candidate. If she was to go with Mr Pambo’s suggestion, it would be because Ms Mohlala had demonstrated solid understanding of the opportunities of commercial value exchange partnerships in the community media space and has a clear understanding of legislative review needed to enable the MDDA to be more effective.

Mr Gumbu indicated that having listened to other Members’ motivations, he believed that he would give Ms Mohlala a chance to sit on the MDDA Board.

Ms Bodlani supported the nomination of Ms Mohlala.

The subcommittee has resolved to nominate Ms Della Togna and Ms Mohlala as the two final preferred candidates for the MDDA board vacancies.

The meeting was adjourned.  

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