Chairperson, the answer to the first question is as follows: The Department of Communications intends taking additional steps to ensure financial accountability from the new board and management of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC. These will be based on the provisions of the Broadcasting Act of 1999 and the Public Finance Management Act of 1999, the relevant treasury regulations, the Articles of Association for the SABC, and the Shareholder Compact agreed upon annually with the SABC. All of which define specific roles for the Ministers, directors-general and Parliament regarding financial accountability and oversight. I am committed to ensuring adherence to these principles, as mentioned, and I will also ensure that the SABC board adheres to the principles of good corporate governance outlined in the King III report.
The specific steps the department intends to take are as follows: Firstly, more regular meetings between the SABC board and management and the department; secondly, regular meetings between the department and the SABC to discuss the SABC's quarterly performance report, both financial and nonfinancial; thirdly, more regular financial reporting to the department, that is quarterly financial statements and monthly management accounts; fourthly, regular reports to the department from the audit and/or risk committees; and, fifthly, access to all internal audit reports of the SABC. The pending reports from the Auditor-General and the SABC interim board, as well as the SABC task team, will also indicate what steps need to be taken.
My answer to the second question is that it should be noted that the news editor of the SABC is always appointed by the board of the SABC without any interference or influence from or by the Minister. In addition, the Broadcasting Act of 1999, specifically protects the SABC's editorial independence. Section 6(3) states:
In terms of the Charter, the Corporation will, in pursuit of its objectives and in exercise of its powers, enjoy freedom of expression and journalistic creativity and programming independence.
Section 6(2) of the Act gives the responsibility of ensuring compliance with the Charter of the SABC to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, Icasa. Furthermore, the Shareholder Compact shall also provide that the corporation adheres to all the provisions of the Broadcasting Act, including the ones on the independence of the SABC. The Department of Communications and I are committed to the principle of editorial independence and freedom of expression as enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa. [Time expired.]