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Removal of SABC board members unlawful - DA

Johannesburg - The ousting of two SABC board members this week did not follow the correct procedures, says the Democratic Alliance (DA).

The SABC confirmed on Thursday that Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi were terminated from the public broadcaster’s board after the pair received letters accusing them of fraudulent conduct

The departure of Kalidass and Lubisi also follows the firing of board member Hope Zinde earlier this month.

But DA Shadow Minister of Communications Gavin Davis says he has written to the Chairperson of the Communications Portfolio Committee, Joyce Moloi-Moropa, “to request a legal opinion on the SABC Board’s removal of two more SABC Board Members”.

“The removal of Ronnie Lubisi and Rachel Kalidass is patently unlawful,” said Davis in a statement.

“The Broadcasting Act is very clear that Board Members can only be removed, after due inquiry, by the President on the advice of the National Assembly.

“In other words, the SABC Board has no legal authority to pronounce, as it did yesterday, that these Board Members are removed with immediate effect,” he added.

Davis further said that Parliament’s legal and constitutional unit is looking into the legality of the SABC Board’s removal of Hope Zinde from the Board last week. The DA also wants the scope of this investigation to be extended to the case of Kalidass and Lubisi.

“The unlawful removal of these Board Members strengthens the perception that they are being purged for voting against Minister Muthambi’s appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng as SABC Chief Operating Officer,” said Davis.

“The only way to undo the perception of a purge is for the Communications Portfolio Committee to assess the allegations against these Board Members and, if there is prima facie evidence of wrongdoing, conduct an open and fair inquiry,” he added.

Davis said this is the process that resulted in the removal of former SABC Chairperson Ellen Tshabalala last year.

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