The Democratic Alliance on Thursday said new SABC CEO Solly Mokoetle had undermined the public broadcaster’s independence by saying he was accountable to communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda.

The party pointed out that he should rather consider himself accountable to the SABC board and to parliament.

Mokoetle reportedly said in a radio interview that he considered himself accountable first to Nyanda.

“By pledging his allegiance to the government and not to the board, Mokoetla has made exactly the wrong start to his new position. His pronouncement undermines good corporate governance and the independence of a public broadcaster which is already on shaky ground,” said DA spokesman Lindiwe Mazibuko.

The Gauteng Communication Workers Union (CWU) welcomed the appointment of Mokoetle and the new SABC board, but added that they had a lot of work to do. “We caution them that there is a lot that needs to be done. We want transparency at the SABC on how the public funds are being spent,” said Aubrey Tshabalala, CWU provincial deputy chairman.

Tshabalala said shop stewards at the public broadcaster were being victimised and they demanded that this should stop with immediate effect.

The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) congratulated its president Cedric Sabelo Gina and other individual members on their appointment to serve on the new SABC board.

“As Numsa we strongly believe that the appointment of this new SABC board by President Zuma will bury the abuse and manipulation of the SABC to fight political battles within our broad movement as led by the ANC associated with the previous board as led by Khanyisile Mkonza.”

President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday appointed 12 members for the SABC board with effect from 10 January 2010.

Twelve nonexecutive members as recommended by the national assembly are: Cedric Sabelo Gina, Pippa Green , Peter John Harris, Barbara Masekela, Magathe Mello, Nkotomane Motsepe, Ben Ngubane, David Niddrie, Claire O’Neil, Felleng Sekha, Suzanne Vos and Desmond Golding.

The president designated Ngubane as chairman and Sekha as deputy chairwoman of the board. — Sapa