MMA and SOS call upon the SABC Board to advertise for the positions of GCEO and GCFO

The SABC Board was appointed on the 18th of April 2023. There can be little doubt that the Board has been met with a deluge of demands and will almost certainly feel they are being pulled in different directions. While it is important that we have a great deal of sympathy for the Board we are deeply concerned that two key executives’ tenures are coming to an end at the end of June. The two positions are the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and the Group Chief Financial Officer (GCFO)

There is less than a month left before the end of these terms and there’s yet to be a job advertisement for either position. The SABC cannot afford to again be without key leadership.

Given the history of the SABC, it is unusual that the terms are coming to an end as a result of their five-year term being fulfilled and not as a result of early termination, resignation or settlement. While there have been some areas in which both executives have faltered it would be a gross injustice not to acknowledge the hard work and commitment from both Madoda Mxakwe and Yolanda Van Biljon. It is also worth noting that Mr Mxakwe has not received an increase in salary in his five-year term. It also seems peculiar on some level to celebrate a five-year term being fulfilled, not to say they did not encounter a fair share of challenges but none of which related to incompetence. At the time of their appointment, the SABC was emerging from a period of extraordinary chaos, mismanagement, gross editorial interference, and blatant corruption. That both have stayed the course, especially over the 6 months where the SABC was left to operate without a Board displays a steely commitment to the SABC worthy of commendation.

Knowing the critical role both have played and knowing at the time of appointment that both positions would need to be filled it is extremely concerning that the positions; have yet to be advertised. Accordingly, Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) and SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition (SOS) call on the SABC Board to urgently advertise for the positions of GCEO and GCFO and to then inform the public of the expedited process that will be pursued to ensure that the SABC is not put at further risk with no GCEO and GCFO.

For more information contact:

William Bird
Director at Media Monitoring Africa (MMA)
082 887 1370

Uyanda Siyotula
National Coordinator at SOS Support Broadcasting Coalition (SOS)
060 691 2462