The African National Congress (ANC) wants former South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) head of news Snuki Zikalala to be an SABC board member.

Zikalala was a controversial figure at the SABC, allegedly responsible for a blacklist of commentators, and viewed to have played a role similar to controversial former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng during the Thabo Mbeki era.

He was one of the candidates nominated by the ANC to be among the 36 shortlisted for the SABC board on Tuesday.

When ANC MP Lerumo Kalako read out Zikalala's name, Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Phumzile van Damme started laughing.

The ANC also nominated former ANC Youth League leader Ronald Lamola.

Kalako also proposed that all five members of the current interim board – chairperson Khanyisile Kweyama, her deputy Mathatha Tsedu, Krish Naidoo, John Matisson and Febe Potgieter-Gqubule be retained for the shortlist.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Congress of the People and the Inkatha Freedom Party supported this idea, while the DA’s nominations included them all except Naidoo and Potgieter-Gqubule – both who have ANC ties. They did not, however, seem opposed to including them on the shortlist.

Former SABC board member Rachel Kalidass, who testified before the ad hoc committee that investigated the SABC board, was nominated by all parties except the EFF.

Nomvuyo Batyi, currently a board member of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa), was nominated by all parties.

Among the DA’s nominees is Jack Devnarain, known for his role as Rajesh Kumar on SABC3 soapie Isidingo. He is also chairperson of the South African Guild of Actors.

The committee adjourned to discuss which compromises they were willing to make. They were due to resume at 12:00, to begin finalising the shortlist – a process which is expected to last into the evening.