Communications minister talks tough on SABC

Newly appointed Communications Minister Yunus Carrim said yesterday that he will act with urgency to turn around the underperforming information and communications sector.

Speaking in Pretoria shortly after being sworn in, he promised that the performance and management of state entities, the SABC in particular, would improve.

"There is no reason why we cannot move with due expedition. We have these huge challenges and limited time, so we cannot afford not to move fast," he said.

"The plans [for the SABC] are not plans that I make alone.

"We are all excruciatingly aware of the need to stabilise the SABC board and its management. We need to improve its performance."

He said role players in the communications sector would be consulted.

"I have been the minister now for not more than 45 minutes. I will be spending a good deal of time over the next two weeks listening to people, largely learning."

He said that, compared to other emerging economies, South Africa lagged in information and technology development.

"Clearly, we are lagging, even though we made significant progress in the early years of our democratic transformation."

On the need for a revival, he said: "We simply have no choice. The public, business, trade union movements and society have reached a limit of tolerance about the difficulties we have been having at the SABC .

"We are all committed to working with the public in turning around the SABC.

"It will happen, but it won't happen simply through the role of the politicians. We all have a stake in this."

But Carrim said the state should not abandon its role in the improvement.

"We must not shrug off our responsibility to lead."

New ministers and deputy ministers were sworn in yesterday.

Earlier yesterday, The Presidency said President Jacob Zuma did not have to give reasons for the changes to the cabinet.

"The Presidency wishes to remind the opinion-makers that the president of the Republic uses his prerogative when appointing members to the national executive," spokesman Mac Maharaj said.

Zuma axed three ministers: Communications' Dina Pule, Human Settlements' Tokyo Sexwale, and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs' Richard Baloyi.