Former National Youth Development Agency chief executive officer Khathutshelo Ramukumba has been designated chairperson of the new SABC board, finally appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa six months after the term of the previous board came to an end.
The former CEO of the Association of Comms and Technology, Nomvuyiso Batyi, was appointed Ramukumba’s deputy.
The rest of the 12 non-executive members of the board – all appointed for five years in terms of the Broadcasting Act – are former SABC journalist Dr Renee Horne; Advocate Tseliso Thipanyane; former SABC head of news Phathiswa Magopeni; Aifheli Makhwanya; Magdalene Moonsamy; Rearabetswe Motaung; David Maimela; Dinkwanyane Mohuba; former SABC journalist and anchor Mpho Tsedu; and Palesa Kadi.
In a statement yesterday, Ramaphosa said: ‘The SABC is a vital institution of our constitutional democracy. I trust the newly appointed board members will work hard at ensuring that South Africa continues to benefit from a stable, independent and effective national public broadcaster.’
At the beginning of last month, TimesLIVE reported that SABC group CEO Madoda Mxakwe told parliament that being without a board since last October had effectively crippled the national broadcaster.
He said business plans had been drawn up, but because they needed ‘the approval of the board … all the plans that have been put in place cannot be implemented. It does render the whole institution dysfunctional.’