The parliamentary committee on communications and digital technologies has given Minister Solly Malatsi until Friday to give an update on the SABC bill, which he intended withdrawing from Parliament last year.

This emerged when committee chairperson Khusela Sangoni-Diko wrote to Malatsi calling for urgent action to end the prolonged delays in finalising the bill. The move follows months of lack of updates since Malatsi’s announcement to withdraw the bill amid confusion as to whether he could do so without authorisation from the Cabinet.

The bill, which was introduced in Parliament by former minister Mondli Gungubele in October 2023, sought to repeal the Broadcasting Act, to regulate the continued existence of the SABC and provide for its governance matters, among other things.

Malatsi said at the time he would withdraw the bill following extensive stakeholder consultation and a thorough review of public submissions.

He had also said the SABC bill did not serve the long term interest of the SABC or the South African public as well as addressing the sustainable funding model of the public broadcaster.

On Wednesday, Sangoni-Diko said she has written to Malatsi calling for urgent action to end the prolonged delays in finalising the bill.

She said the bill had already undergone extensive public participation, including written and oral submissions with the department scheduled to respond to the inputs, when Malatsi indicated his intention to withdraw it.

The committee was advised in February that consultations between National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza, Deputy President Paul Mashatile in his capacity as Leader of Government Business, Malatsi and ultimately Cabinet were necessary as a Minister could not unilaterally withdraw an executive bill.

Sangoni-Diko said apart from a verbal briefing in April 2025, no further update has been provided.

“The bill has now been delayed for more than six months, with no clear urgency from the department to resolve the matter. This delay has left the Bill stuck in Parliament while the SABC’s financial and operational crisis continues to worsen,” she said.

She also said she has asked Malatsi to provide an update on Cabinet consultations regarding the bill and has give until August 29 to give a response.

However, Sangoni-Diko warned that the committee will proceed to schedule the bill for processing beginning September unless the department demonstrated significant progress on proposed amendments and the development of a sustainable funding model.

The SABC has consistently identified the absence of a viable funding model and delays in passing the bill as major contributors to its current crisis.

“The committee cannot allow further delays when the future of the public broadcaster, and of the country’s signal distributor, Sentech is at stake. Parliament has directed committees to process legislation without undue delay, and we intend to do so,” said Sangoni-Diko said.

Malatsi’s spokesperson Kwena Moloto said Malatsi was discussing the SABC bill with Cabinet colleagues.

Moloto also said the department was finalizing the appointment of a service provider with the required depth of expertise to design a sustainable funding model for the public broadcaster.

“A credible funding model is critical to the long-term sustainability of the SABC, which is ultimately the reason for all current interventions regarding the Bill,” he said.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za

Source link