Business Report
*SABC board meets with Nyanda**Siyabonga Mkhwanazi, Political Bureau, Business Report, Johannesburg, 9 June 2010*
Communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda has met with the SABC board in the wake of the fall-out between its members and chairman Dr Ben Ngubane over the controversial appointment of Phil Moelefe as head of news.
Nyanda's spokesman, Tiyani Rikhotso, confirmed that Nyanda met with the board on Tuesday.
Ngubane last night refused to comment on the meeting, referring all inquiries to Nyanda. Rikhotso did not respond to messages, however.
Nyanda called the meeting in a bid to deal with the stand-off that developed between Ngubane and board members after he unilaterally decided to approve the appointment of Molefe as head of news and current affairs at the public broadcaster. Board members insisted that his appointment had to be approved by them.
On Tuesday's meeting would have been the first time that Ngubane met with board members since the controversy arose three weeks ago.
Nyanda stepped in after board members rebelled against their chairman's decision and overturned Molefe's appointment, on the grounds that the board's approval had not been granted as required.
SABC Group Chief Executive Officer Solly Mokoetle had last week introduced Molefe to staff as the new head of news and allegedly told them that no-one was going to reverse the appointment. Molefe has been acting in the position ever since the departure of his predecessor, Snuki Zikalala.
Ngubane has faced calls for his resignation over the move from unions and lobby groups.
Opposition parties in Parliament have called for Ngubane to appear before the National Assembly's communications committee to explain his action, but MPs went on recess on Friday.
Nyanda told Independent Newspapers last week he had met with Ngubane soon after his return from accompanying President Jacob Zuma on a visit to Algeria. He refused to disclose any details about the meeting, but called for calm among SABC board members, urging them not to make public statements. He said then he would meet the board to deal with the situation.
In a related development, SABC head of radio news, Mapule Mbhalati, took early retirement after she was reportedly threatened with disciplinary action for airing a report that Molefe's appointment had been nullified by the board.
The SABC has denied that Mbhalati was threatened with a disciplinary hearing for failing to obey an order not to air the story.
*From: http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=566&fArticleId=5506343 <http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=566&fArticleId=5506343>*
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