President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed eight new board members to fill the vacancies on the Board of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) with immediate effect. 

In a statement on Friday morning the Presidency said the new members of the board will serve the unexpired term of office of the members who resigned from the SABC Board, which will expire on 15 October 2022.

In terms of Section 13 of the Broadcasting Act (Act 4 of 1999), non-executive members of the SABC Board must be appointed by the president on the advice of the National Assembly following a process of public participation in the nomination and transparency and openness in the selection.
 
"The National Assembly has communicated to the President the exhaustive public consultation process that was followed by the Portfolio Committee on Communications in accordance with the requirements set out in the Broadcasting Act," said the statement.

The eight persons appointed to the SABC Board are: Ms. Mary Papayya, Ms. Jasmina Patel;  Dr Marcia Socikwa; Ms. Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi;, Ms. Bernedette Muthien, Advocate Benjamin Motshedi Lekalakala, Professor Sathasivan Cooper and Mr. David Maimela.

Ramaphosa has further designated Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi as deputy chairperson of the SABC board.
 
"Viewed collectively, the board of the SABC is composed of people who possess qualifications, skills, experience and expertise across a broad spectrum of relevant fields including but not limited to governance and business practice, law, broadcasting policy and regulation, journalism and communications amongst others," said the statement.

"President Ramaphosa wishes the new board members well in their efforts to secure the sustainability of the South African Broadcasting Corporation as an important component of national life and of the deepening of democratic engagement in the country."