Shortlisting of aspiring SABC board members to start next week

15th August 2017 By: News24Wire

Shortlisting of aspiring SABC board members to start next week

The process to select a new permanent South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board would be run in a similar way to last year’s selection of the Public Protector, it emerged in Parliament on Tuesday.

MPs are set to sift through the CVs of 363 applicants before whittling down that list to 36. That process begins on August 22.

MPs agreed the CVs of the 36 shortlisted candidates would be posted on the parliamentary website. Members of the public and civil society organisations would have five working days to comment.

During that time, the shortlisted candidates would be vetted while their academic qualifications are confirmed. MPs said they did not want a repeat of the controversy in 2014 when it emerged that Ellen Tshabalala, then SABC chairperson, lied about her academic qualifications.

Candidates would be interviewed over a period of three days and this is expected to be televised live.

While no timeframes for the interviews have been discussed, MPs have to fast track the process as the interim SABC board’s term ends on September 26.

MPs across the political spectrum have concurred that they want qualified and quality candidates to serve the SABC.

Several SABC boards have been dissolved over the years following instability, and allegations of wrongdoing and political interference.