‘No minister will withdraw any bill’: Ntshavheni says Mashatile will deal with Malatsi in next cabinet meeting

Communications and digital technologies minister Solly Malatsi will face pushback from the cabinet after withdrawing the SABC Bill “without approval”.

This week Malatsi said he withdrew the bill from parliament because it did not have “a credible funding model that will steer the public broadcaster to success”.

The bill was tabled in parliament in 2021 after cabinet approved it, noting it would “strengthen the efficiency of the operations of the public broadcaster and strengthen responsibilities and accountability”.

Briefing the media after cabinet's meeting on Wednesday, minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said Malatsi had no right to withdraw the bill without consulting cabinet. 

“The SABC Bill is not a private member’s bill, it is not Malatsi’s bill. It is a bill of cabinet and the executive. In terms of the law, he cannot withdraw it without coming to cabinet to agree on the withdrawal. The bill was submitted to parliament after it was approved by the cabinet,” she said.

“The cabinet secretariat and leader of government business [Deputy President Paul Mashatile] will deal with that matter in the next cabinet meeting because no minister can withdraw any bill that was approved by cabinet.”

Malatsi should have raised his concerns with cabinet and tried to lobby support in the government.

“Whatever limitations the minister has found in the bill he has to come and convince the cabinet, table his limitations and request the cabinet to concur. Malatsi did not come to cabinet, I will assume he did not know the process.”

Malatsi believes the bill does not provide the urgency required to stabilise the broadcaster's finances. 

“After extensive stakeholder consultation and a thorough review of public submissions, it is clear the SABC Bill, as it stands, does not serve the long-term interests of the SABC or the South African public,” Malatsi said.

“The current version does not adequately address the most important element regarding the SABC’s sustainability: a credible funding model that will steer the public broadcaster to success. Despite the broadcaster’s ongoing financial challenges and operational losses, the SABC Bill suggests a delayed funding model giving the minister three years to develop a sustainable framework.

“This approach does not meet the urgency required to stabilise the broadcaster and risks perpetuating an outdated licensing structure that will not provide the SABC with the necessary resources to fulfil its mandate.”

Malatsi believed instead of endorsing the bill, urgent development and implementation of a sustainable financial model for the SABC should be prioritised.

“The public broadcaster’s financial stability is not only critical for its survival but also essential for its ability to serve South Africans as an independent, trustworthy source of information, education and entertainment. A sustainable funding model will empower the SABC to deliver on its mandate without undue political or financial pressures.

“Rule 334 of the National Assembly rules permits the withdrawal of a bill before its second reading. As minister of communications and digital technology, I take this step not to abandon reform but to lay the groundwork for a stronger, more resilient SABC.”

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