Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies chairperson Khusela Diko says the amendment of the SABC Bill will be prioritised in the new year.
The utterance comes as she is at loggerheads with Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi. This over his decision to singlehandedly withdraw the bill from parliament.
She also defended the Speaker of Parliament, Thoko Didiza, following an article in the Sunday Times. The article stated that Malatsi was accusing Didiza of failing to make a decision on the withdrawal of the bill.
Frivolous challenges
She said Didiza held the role of a leader of the legislature, which guards democracy.
“Cabinet members are expected to respect this role by ensuring that the authority of the Office of the Speaker is not undermined through frivolous challenges. These disregard not only established protocols on engagement between the Speaker and the Executive, but also the doctrine of separation of powers,” said Diko.
Diko said Malatsi’s decision was unconstitutional and undermined parliament. She explained that the Constitution gives executive authority to the president. And the latter shares this responsibility with other cabinet members, including the task of preparing and introducing legislation.
Due to this, Diko said not even Malatsi had the power to independently introduce or withdraw bills in parliament. No powers to do this without consent from the cabinet.
Unfounded, flimsy and inconsequential
“While minister Malatsi has raised some valid concerns regarding the powers to be accorded to the minister to appoint board members of the proposed commercial subsidiary of the SABC, his other objection regarding the absence of a funding model in the current version of the bill is unfounded, flimsy and inconsequential.
“We trust that when the minister takes the opportunity to present the department’s responses to the committee, he will also concede that, unless the SABC Bill is a Money Bill, ministers cannot legislate a funding model from the fiscus,” said Diko.
She said Malatsi should stop delaying on the matter. He should act quickly to develop the funding model. This model, she says is supported by the legislative framework of the SABC Bill. And is urgently needed by the SABC.
