Parliament Committee to discuss withdrawal of SABC Bill

Members of Parliament’s Communications and Digital Technologies Committee will this week get an opportunity to discuss matters around the withdrawal of the SABC Bill.

The bill, among others, aims to address the funding model of the public broadcaster.

Last week, Minister Solly Malatsi withdrew the bill saying it does not address the important matter of the funding model for the public broadcaster.

This has raised anger amongst committee members, including Chairperson Khusela Diko.

According to Minister Malatsi, the bill is flawed because it does not address the issue of the funding model and assigns too much power to the minister in appointing board members.

But Diko has described this as trigger-happy action, which serves no purpose but to frustrate and disrupt processes already under way.

And that this could be the death knell for the financially hamstrung public broadcaster.

In the other 24 committees scheduled to meet this week, is among others SAPS reporting on the capacitation of its Specialised Units, while at tourism, the department will brief the committee on its safety strategy.

The NCOP will among others look at the significant increase in electricity costs due to NERSA’s decision to retrospectively approve Eskom’s application to raise charges and also discuss measures to protect the most vulnerable in society from the rising cost of living.