The National Press Club says it hopes the new CEO of the SABC and the new board will be able “to turn the SABC around and make it a credible and efficient public broadcaster.” In a statement, the chairperson of the Press Club, Yusuf Abramjee said: “We congratulate Solly Mokoetle on his appointment as the new CEO of the SABC. We are pleased that this very important position has finally been filled. “Mokoetle has an excellent track record. He is known to be a strong leader. We hope he cleans up the SABC without delay. The public broadcaster has a very important role to fulfill and we wish Mokoetle and his team well. “We also call on the new CEO and the new board to appoint a credible, independent head of news and current affairs without delay. We hope that no political lackey is appointed. The SABC needs someone who will make sound editorial judgments without being influenced from outside. “Unfortunately, this position has been politically tainted over the years. It’s time for change. One of Mokoetle’s first tests will be to see whether he makes the right appointment,” said Abramjee. The financial woes of the SABC, he added, also needed “urgent attention.” The Press Club also congratulated Ben Ngubane on being appointed as the new chairperson of the SABC board. “We are delighted that people like Pippa Green have been appointed to the board. It is people with this expertise that will hopefully make a difference.” “The SABC has been making news for all the wrong reasons for far too long – instead of providing us with news. We hope this is going to change very quickly. “The SABC has some very good employees. Those who have been draining the broadcaster financially through wrongdoing must be brought to book. We also hope that the SABC will bring-in new credible and talented leaders,” Abramjee added.
