By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The impasse over Communications Minister Solly Malatsi’s controversial withdrawal of the SABC Bill has taken another turn.
Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshaveni said Deputy President Paul Mashatile has written to parliament effectively overruling Malatsi’s attempt to withdraw it.
Ntshavheni, briefed the media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, 4 December 2024.
“The Bill is an executive Bill and the deputy president has written to the speaker to indicate that the Bill has not been withdrawn and Malatsi has been advised that if he wants to withdraw a Bill, he must make a submission.”
She added: “Cabinet has accepted that there was no malice intended on the part of Malatsi. It is part of the standard protocols that new ministers are still learning.”
Malatsi earned a public tongue-lashing from Ntshaveni a fortnight ago after pulling the Bill ahead of its second reading in parliament.
“This is not a private member’s Bill. This is not Minister Malatsi’s Bill. This is a Bill of cabinet. In terms of the law he cannot withdraw it without coming to cabinet for authorisation,” Ntshavheni said at the time. “We are very clear. The rules and the law are very clear.”
Malatsi’s step also drew the ire of the ANC caucus and his predecessor and current deputy, Mondli Gugumbele, who tabled the Bill in parliament.
Days earlier, the minister wrote to speaker Thoko Didiza saying that the Bill had “several flaws” and had been the subject of “much criticism” from a range of stakeholders over issues regarding financial sustainability, editorial independence and political interference at the public broadcaster.
“Having carefully considered stakeholder and public submissions on the Bill, as well as consultation with key stakeholders in the media and civil society, it has become clear that the flaws within the Bill necessitate its withdrawal, “Malatsi wrote.
“The withdrawal, rather than trying to fix a fundamentally flawed Bill, will enable my department … to focus their efforts on formulating a sustainable and robots funding model for the SABC.”
Malatsi added, he’s standing by his initial withdrawal, after he set out his reasons at a meeting of Parliament’s portfolio committee in November, and informed the speaker of the outcome.
According to Parliamentary rules, the person in charge of the bill may withdraw it at any time before its second reading.
House rules also state that if a minister decides to withdraw a bill, the speaker must immediately be informed, and a notice must be published in the gazette.
The rules don’t, however, require Cabinet consent before an executive bill may be withdrawn from Parliament.
Meanwhile Malatsi said on Thursday that the deadline for analogue switch-off has been moved out once again – though this time by only another three months.
The broadcasting digital migration project, which is 14 years beyond the original deadline of December 2010 set by former communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri in President Thabo Mbeki’s administration, has proved an insurmountable task for a long list of communications ministers, all from the ANC.
Malatsi – the first Democratic Alliance politician to lead the ministry, now under the government of national unity – said in a statement that he has secured cabinet’s support for an extension to the deadline for analogue switch-off from 31 December 2024 to 31 March 2025.
“This extension will ensure that as many indigent households as possible will enjoy their right to access broadcast services,” Malatsi said in Thursday’s statement.
Cabinet notes decline in GDP by 0.3% in third quarter of 2024
Cabinet has welcomed the positive economic outlook by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P), as the impact of the implemented Operation Vulindlela coordinated reforms have started to bear fruit.
S&P revised South Africa’s outlook to “positive” from “stable” in November this year, citing plans for accelerated economic reforms by the new government of national unity and a pickup in private investments.
Ntshavheni said Cabinet noted the decline in GDP by 0.3% in the third quarter of 2024, with the largest decline of 28.8% recorded in the agriculture, forestry and fishing, which may indicate the impact of drought.
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has indicated that the severe drought in 2024 caused a 0.3% decline in the country’s GDP in the third quarter.
“Cabinet further welcomed the decision by the South African Reserve Bank to cut the repo rate by another 25 basis points from 8% to 7.75%,” said Ntshavheni.
Cabinet hopeful G20 hosting will boost local tourism
South Africa is looking forward to a boost in its hospitality sector, as support staff and families of the Group of 20 (G20) member countries are expected to attend over 130 meetings in the Leaders’ Summit next year.
Ntshavheni stated that the TS20 will showcase South Africa’s township economies’ creative, cultural, financial, and innovative strengths.
The initial meetings for South Africa’s Presidency will include the first Sherpa and Finance Track meetings, scheduled from 9 to 12 December 2024 in Sandton.
The official website for South Africa’s G20 Presidency was launched on Tuesday, featuring the King Protea as its logo. This national flower symbolises the country’s identity, landscape, and cultural significance.
Cabinet has invited potential sponsors to partner with government in supporting the G20 in South Africa.
Interested parties are encouraged to submit their expressions of interest to g20sponsorship@dirco.gov.za. The deadline is 31 March 2025.