The Star
*SABC finally declares appointment invalid* *Christelle Terreblanche, The Star, Johannesburg, 24 May 2010*The SABC board has declared the appointment of Phil Molefe as head of news "null and void" following its emergency meeting at the weekend.
In a statement issued last night, 10 out of the 12 board members declared unanimously that the unilateral decision by board chairman Dr Ben Ngubane to appoint Molefe to the position was "not lawful". They said it was illegal in terms of the SABC's Memorandum and Articles of Association, which "couch in mandatory terms" that appointments at a group executive level must be made by the board.
It was agreed that the process of assessing all four candidates must continue.
Informed sources indicated that board members first wanted to communicate the decision to Molefe himself.
They told The Star there was no immediate intention by the board to propose a motion of no confidence in Ngubane's chairmanship - as speculated in the media - despite the fact that Ngubane's decision was made while three other candidates were still being considered.
Ngubane again defended the move yesterday, saying it was "a business decision".
He also denied there was any political move behind it, after suggestions that he had cleared Molefe's appointment with President Jacob Zuma.
Molefe had been acting in the position since the departure of Snuki Zikalala.
The DA and IFP yesterday expressed concern at the renewed tension at the SABC.
DA MP Lindiwe Mazibuko said her party would ask the chairman of the National Assembly's communications committee, Ismail Vadi, to summon the board to appear before MPs urgently to account for the events.
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