The SABC Board: Please use the blog to comment

Memorandum of Demands and Expectations

By South African Civil Society to the SABC Board and Parliament

We Demand that,

The SABC, as a public service broadcaster with a public interest mandate, who claims “people centred” as one of its primary values will,

1. Demonstrate in the exercising of all its functions that South African citizens, also its license fee payers, are its primary stakeholders;
2. Ensure that the SABC Board and Organisation always seek to represent the interests of its primary stakeholders;
3. Pro-actively seek engagement with primary stakeholders, to ensure that primary stakeholder interests and views are continually assessed and fed into the decision making mechanisms of the Board and Organisation;
4. Conduct all its functions, from operation to governance, with high standards of transparency and openness;
5. Articulate, adopt, publish and make readily available to the public through their offices, website and upon request:

a. Protocols that detail how both the SABC Board and Organisation will discharge its functions, including but not limited to their primary functions and responsibilities, what the division between their respective functions will mean in practice, when and how it will inform the public on decisions that will in any way affect delivery of service, and internal complaints mechanisms to address primary stakeholder concerns;

b. Details of the process and outcomes of decisions that will in any way affect service delivery, including reasons and key considerations, on a timely basis and according to established protocols.

c. Minutes and transcriptions of Board meetings in line with the Promotion of Access to Information Act.

We expect that,

Parliament, as representatives of the peoples of South Africa, will,

1. Recognise and demonstrate in all decisions and actions regarding the SABC (Board & Organisation) that South African citizens are the public broadcaster’s primary stakeholders;
2. Facilitate and ensure that the SABC Board and Organisation have the capacity and prerogative to fulfill the above demands;
3. De-politicise the SABC Board appointment process, and ensure that citizen’s interests are fully and fairly represented in the Board and in the Board appointment process;
4. Explore, support and bring into being any legislation, or amendment of legislation that will enable the above demands and expectations;

Football and Xenophobia

We here at SAMGI are wondering whether this recent spate of xenophobic attacks against foreigners will have any affect on the World Cup in 2010.

While the violence is directed against foreigners, of which there will be thousands here for the big game, it stems more from a perceived economic imbalance and hierarchy between refugees who come here seeking a better life and those South Africans who continue to wrestle with lifting themselves out of dire poverty. Pictures of burning black bodies have been posted all over the print and international editions of major publications like The New York Times and BBC. But we have yet to hear anyone question whether South Africa is ready to host what will arguably be one of the biggest international events of the year.

These xenophobic attacks shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. They are not isolated to Gauteng, but often occur in the Western Cape as well.

After 10 days, the death toll has reached 24, there are hundreds injured, and 20,000 people have been displaced. What role will this play in 2010, or will this issue be swept to the side?

Solutions to Murder Lie Not With Reinstating the Death Penalty, but Elsewhere

This article, written by Roger-Claude Liwanga, xenophobia and racism project coordinator at SAMGI, was first published in the Cape Times on Monday, May 5.

Cartoon from Monet’s studio

By Roger-Claude Liwanga

In order to guarantee peace and safety, society has set up rules about which behaviors are prohibited and which allowed.

All human behaviour which is in contrast to the established prescriptions is viewed as dangerous for the social order, and some behaviors are judged as, particularly serious, such as murder, rape, robbery and corruption.

Perpetrators of such offenses will endure punishment because of their conduct, such as the death penalty or life imprisonment, or imprisonment for a specified number of years and/or a fine.

Minister Vows to Increase Percentage of Women in Senior Management

Women will occupy 50 percent of senior management positions in government by March 2009, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, minister of public services and administration was quoted saying recently.

Speaking to the Governance and Administration cluster briefing in May, Fraser-Moleketi said research shows women occupied just 8 percent of senior management in 1995 and grew to 33 percent in 2007, according to BuaNews, a South African news service focusing on government. Although these numbers are lower than expected, Fraser-Moleketi said she believes the country will still meet its mark next year.

But finding and grooming women leaders is a challenge, especially for women with familial responsibilities.

“Although we are gender sensitive in this country, it is clear that parenting is still mostly the role of the women,” Fraser-Moleketi told BuaNews.

Action Needed to Stop Xenophobic Attacks

There have been many incidences of xenophobic attacks against Africans from other countries, and the Eastern Cape logged another last Monday when a 21-year-old Somali man was shot while working in his shop in Kwanobuhle.

A similar incident occurred in Zwenetemba near Worcester in March, prompting a spokeswoman with the Department of Home Affairs to condemn the violence.

I’m not sure articulating one’s outrage will be enough if further efforts are not taken to apprehend those responsible, and to create a climate where such acts are deemed unacceptable.