'Reinstate SABC board members'
Members of Parliament across all party lines are gunning for Communications Minister Faith Muthambi for "acting unlawfully" when meddling in the SABC board. Parliament's communications committee had sought a legal opinion in March, after the SABC board axed members Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi in February. Muthambi had sent these members letters asking them to give reasons why they should not be shown the door.Parliamentary legal advisers yesterday briefed the committee that Muthambi had acted unlawfully when she usurped the powers of President Jacob Zuma when removing members of the SABC board."The only legally valid removal of an SABC board member is by the president as appointing authority in terms of section 15(1)(a) ... of the Broadcasting Act," said legal adviser Nathi Mjenxane.MPs from all parties were unanimous in their support of the legal findings.EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said Zuma must right the wrongs. "We demand that all those members [who] were unlawfully removed must be reinstated," he said.DA MP Gavin Davis said: "I propose [that the] committee draft letters to each board member saying their removal was unlawful and that they are free to go to work."..
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