Deputy Speaker, Cope will support the nomination contained in the report before us today. We believe that the process was fair, transparent and objective, and it conformed to the law.
But, unfortunately, the same tendency has emerged in this process, namely that senior state officials in the communications sector, as well as in state-owned entities, nominated one another and friends to serve on the SABC Board. Another musical chairs exercise.
This is not ideal, Deputy Speaker. Although it is not in contravention any Act, respectable leaders from all walks of life should be called upon to make a contribution by making themselves available to serve on the SABC Board - people with experience and knowledge of directing institutions so that they achieve service excellence and profitability.
For as long as the SABC and Independent Communications Authority of SA, Icasa, nominations are regarded as being for the select few with close connections to the ANC, this will unfortunately not happen. We need to ensure that good governance practices are instilled in the SABC.
However, Cope is satisfied that Ms Gosa will bring quality leadership to the board, after her experience in the National Planning Commission.
The current reality is, unfortunately, that the SABC has still not overcome its financial woes, and it is still plagued by very serious challenges, including a lack of effective systems to root out fraud and corruption. Due appointment procedures also still seem to remain a challenge.
An additional and growing concern is political manipulation and interference with the news editorial policy, which leads to the freezing out of opposition parties, in particular Cope. News reporters are indeed complaining about this. This is against the law, and a matter that the board should regard as a high priority.
Irrespective of party preferences of individual board members and the SABC executive, they have a duty to serve the nation as a whole. By law they are compelled to, and I quote, "ensure plurality of news, views and information. "This is in section 2 of the Broadcasting Act. It must also service the needs of all South Africans. Its news service must be accurate, fair and impartial -section 6 of the Broadcasting Act.
We trust that Ms Gosa will understand that as a board member she is compelled to be committed to the above, and also to the principles of openness and accountability.
That brings me to the serious financial woes that are still plaguing the SABC. Deputy Speaker, it is completely unacceptable that there is still no bid adjudication committee functioning, three years after the Auditor- General exposed huge losses and financial corruption. This is a weakness that can create further opportunities for tender manipulation and fraud. This is unacceptable, and she must address that. Thank you, Deputy Speaker. [Time expired.]