THE Freedom
of Expression Institute said it would consult its lawyers this week to
consider challenging President Thabo Mbeki’s appointment of the new
SABC board, writes Ernest Mabuza in Business Day.
The institute made the comment on Friday following
confirmation on Thursday by the Congress of South African Trade Unions
(Cosatu) that it would go ahead with a legal challenge against Mbeki
over the appointment of the board.
Mbeki announced the appointment of the board in December,
days after the African National Congress national conference which
unseated him at Polokwane ended.
Khanyisiwe Mkhonza was appointed chairwoman of the board
and Christine Qunta the deputy. Ashwin Trikamjee, Alison Gilwald,
Andile Mbeki and Fadila Lagadien retained their positions.
New members included businesswoman Gloria Serobe,
Independent Electoral Commission CE Pansy Tlakula, former presidential
spokesman Bheki Khumalo, businessman Peter Vundla, Nadia Bulbulia and
Desmond Golding.
“It is in nobody’s interest that the board does not enjoy
confidence of the public it claims to represent,†the institute’ s
executive director, Jane Duncan, said.
The institute believed there were grounds for a legal
challenge. One was that the composition of the board did not have an
adequate range of skills and competence in that it had no people with a
social, labour or journalism background, she said.
“The board could be described as comprising of businesspeople and President Mbeki’s supporters.â€ÂÂ
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