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The Presidency has noted reports and statements by some political party that certain individuals such as GCIS CEO Jimmy Manyi should not have been appointed as a board member of the Media Development and Diversity Agency.

President Jacob Zuma had in terms of Sections 4 (1)(b) and 4(1)(c) of the Media Development and Diversity Agency (Act No 14 of 2002) appointed five new Board members for a term of office of three years:

1. Mr Phenyo Nonqane
2. Ms Rene Alicia Smith
3. Mr Jimmy Manyi
4. Mr Thato Mahapa
5. Ms Ingrid Louw

While the law stipulates that there should be nine (9) members on the board of the Media Development and Diversity Agency, Section 4(1)(b) of Act 14 of 2002 requires that six of them are appointed by the President on the recommendation of Parliament and the other three are appointed directly by the President in terms of section 4(1)(c).

In informing the public of these appointments, our statement yesterday explicitly referred to both sections of the law. It is therefore regrettable to imply that the President was not acting within the law or to imply that the President’s decision was ill-considered or that the National Assembly did not recommend certain names.