Final Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the SABC Board Inquiry into the fitness of the SABC Board

The Final Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the SABC Board Inquiry into the fitness of the SABC Board was presented to Parliament on 24 February. "The National Assembly (NA) established the ad hoc Committee on the SABC Board Inquiry (the Committee) to inquire inter alia into the fitness of the SABC Board to discharge its duties as prescribed in the Broadcasting Act, No 4 of 1999 and any other applicable legislation. This followed after widespread concern from the public about the SABC’s ability to exercise its mandate as the public broadcaster. In addition, the Board could no longer convene quorate meetings as several non-executive Board members had been removed or had resigned. 

There is prima facie evidence that the SABC's primary mandate as a national public broadcaster has been compromised by the lapse of governance and management within the SABC, which ultimately contributed to the Board’s inability to discharge its fiduciary responsibilities. The SABC has consequently deviated from its mandate as the public broadcaster, and from providing a platform and a voice to all South Africans to participate in the democratic dispensation of the Republic. The SABC has also failed to provide an important platform for community involvement, education and entertainment, reflecting the rich and diverse cultural heritage of South Africa.