Mr Speaker, the DA didn't want to go down the route of dissolving the SABC board, because we felt that this would do nothing to resolve the crisis at the public broadcaster. Rather, it would simply satisfy the blood lust of the new ANC ruling elite, which is determined to put its stamp on an institution that is supposed to be independent.
Had we had it our way, each of the board members who has resigned would have served out his or her respective three-month notice periods; the President would have appointed a chairperson and a deputy chair from within their ranks to restore the quorum; and we, in the National Assembly, would have gone about the business of interviewing and short-listing candidates to fill the existing vacancies as per our mandate. But this was not to be.
The ANC in the previous committee didn't rush through the Broadcast Amendment Act in March this year in order to then sit on it. They had one objective, and one objective only: dissolve the board or fire its members, and then make way for the installation of a more palatable board; one which is sympathetic and perhaps more willing to dance to the tune of the new masters of Luthuli House. [Applause.]
The DA, together with Cope, expressed throughout this entire process its concerns about the extent to which this constituted due process, as envisioned by the clause in the amending Act.
Board members who had less than 24 hours' notice were summoned to Parliament to give evidence in an inquiry whose purpose was to establish whether or not they could do their work, but which instead had all the hallmarks of a kangaroo court.
As with the previous parliamentary committee, a scheduled report-back by executive board members on the state of the broadcaster's financials, in a time of crisis, was pushed back in order to accommodate a vicious assault by ANC MPs on the board. Why bother engaging in oversight over the public broadcaster in this crisis when there are political purges to be engaged in?
No wonder board members, who, we mustn't forget, are distinguished members of society and hold professional posts elsewhere, had had enough. Who can blame them after having been harassed by Parliament for their entire 18 months in office, after facing insurrection from the executive management that they were responsible for guiding, and after probably enduring extraordinary pressure to resign? Who can blame them for giving up?
With only one member left on the entire board, the DA has little choice but to assent to this dissolution since we will need to constitute the board either way.
Yesterday this committee was presented with SABC financial statements, which painted such a bleak picture of this organisation, an organisation which is deeply in chaos. It became very glaringly obvious that the problems that the broadcaster is facing cannot be attributed to the board. This is the fig leaf which the ANC has used to justify this entire process. But, in fact, they go to massive procurement and spending irregularities at executive management level.
In addition, we were presented with testimony from the remaining board members which alleged that political interference, endemic corruption in the management of the SABC and general mistrust between the board and the executive are what contributed to the rot at the public broadcaster.
We therefore endorse the recommendation by the committee that the Auditor- General's Office must conduct a full investigation into the functioning of the SABC to identify the weaknesses at the broadcaster and resolve the allegations that have been made.
The DA will participate fully in the process of appointing an interim board when we leave the House today. We will do so with a view to ensuring that it comprises members with the necessary industry and financial expertise to guide the broadcaster out of its present woes and, crucially, to champion the independence of the SABC, instead of kowtowing to the ruling ANC elite. [Time expired.] [Applause.]