SABC chairman Ben Ngubane must explain the exact processes followed in the appointment of Phil Molefe as head of news, the Inkatha Freedom Party said on Sunday.

“We need assurance that this is not another political appointment,” said IFP spokesman Musa Zondi in a statement.

He said the party was “concerned” that the public broadcaster was again making the news for “all the wrong reasons”.

“Reports that Molefe was appointed under illegitimate and irregular circumstances causes great concern to the IFP.”

Zondi said the party was optimistic that the SABC would be able to address its critical problems, chart a new way forward and unite under the new chairman.

“However, recent statements by board members prove to the contrary. Ngubane needs to come clean on the latest crisis within the SABC,” he said.

The Democratic Alliance said it would write to parliament’s portfolio committee on communications to request the summoning of the SABC board to appear urgently before the committee to account for the events of the past four days.

Spokesman Lindiwe Mazibuko said: “If reports about Molefe’s appointment are accurate, then it is clear that due process has not been followed. The SABC board needs to move swiftly to avert a leadership crisis.”

It was also unacceptable that board members were kept so much in the dark that they first heard about the appointment in the press, she said.

Ngubane said on Saturday that there was no “breach of corporate governance” in Molefe’s appointment. “I believe that all processes were followed and there was no breach of corporate governance.”

The controversy became public after board member Pippa Green told the media that Molefe’s appointment was not approved by them.

Ngubane said he authorised the appointment because he felt that Molefe satisfied all requirements for the position.

“After considering all the factors before me that necessitated the speedy finalisation of this process, and after going to the SABC booklet on criteria for interviews, I made the decision … because he satisfied all the requirements as agreed to by all board members,” he said.

Molefe was appointed on Thursday after a year of acting in the position.

According to the Sunday Independent, Ngubane snubbed an emergency board meeting that was scheduled for Saturday to discuss the matter.

SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago could not comment on the matter, saying he was expecting a briefing on Saturday’s meeting, after which a media statement would released. — Sapa