Communications Minister Faith Muthambi lashed out at DA spokesman Gavin Davis on Wednesday after he accused her of meddling in the SABC board.<\/p>\n
“The minister is calling upon Honourable Davis to act with restraint and with responsibility as required by the oath that he took rather than dragging a public institution into disrepute,” her office said in a statement.<\/p>\n
This was after Davis claimed in a press statement on Monday that there was “a climate of paranoia, fear and intimidation at the SABC under acting CEO Hlaudi Motsoeneng”.<\/p>\n
He accused Muthambi of taking too long to appoint a new SABC CEO.<\/p>\n
“Muthambi’s foot dragging raises suspicions that she is keeping the CEO position open so that Motsoeneng can act as CEO for as long as possible.<\/p>\n
“And, while Motsoeneng goes about intimidating staff, Muthambi is waging an unlawful intimidation campaign of her own against SABC board members perceived as disloyal.”<\/p>\n
Shortly after Motsoeneng was elected to serve in this role, Davis claims, Motsoeneng called a staff meeting where he allegedly accused staff members of leaking confidential documents.<\/p>\n
Muthambi’s office criticised Davis for making “spurious accusations … which have never been tested in any objective and fair process”.<\/p>\n
“The level of detail, however spurious and inaccurate, provides a prima facie evidence that Honourable Davis is behind the scenes, illegally colluding with some of the individuals whose interests he purports to be protecting.”<\/p>\n
The ministry questioned the timing of Davis’s “level of activism” with regard to SABC matters as it “coincides with the appointment, albeit on an acting capacity, of a black person at the helm of a public institution”.<\/p>\n
“In addition, the minister will not allow a perception to be created that if you are a black woman minister, you need a white male babysitter.”<\/p>\n
On Wednesday Davis described the ministry’s response as “rather hysterical”.<\/p>\n
Davis said he had seen a letter Muthambi allegedly penned to some members of the SABC board.<\/p>\n
“In the letter, the minister threatens to recommend board members’ removal unless they give her good reasons for not doing so.<\/p>\n
He said she had no legal powers to remove board members or recommend their removal.<\/p>\n
“According to Section 15A of the Broadcasting Act, it is up to Parliament to recommend the removal of board members after due inquiry into their conduct, not the minister.”<\/p>\n
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