Malatsi still waiting on National Assembly Speaker to officially act on SABC Bill withdrawal
Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi withdrew the contentious SABC Bill last year, saying it doesn’t address the public broadcaster’s funding model.
Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi. Picture: @CommsZA/X
CAPE TOWN - Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi says he's still waiting on National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza to officially act on his SABC Bill withdrawal.
Malatsi withdrew the contentious SABC Bill last year, saying it doesn’t address the public broadcaster’s funding model.
READ: Diko slams Malatsi's SABC Bill withdrawal move as trigger-happy and ill-advised
Malatsi said the withdrawal of the legislation was based on "valid concerns".
The communications portfolio committee has made its position clear and opposes the move by Malatsi to unilaterally withdraw the bill.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni also said that Malatsi was not authorised to withdraw the bill.
But Malatsi’s spokesperson, Kwena Moloto, told EWN that he withdrew the bill in accordance with National Assembly rules "which allows a minister to withdraw a bill before its second reading".
Moloto said a formal request had been submitted to the Speaker "and the next procedural step is for the Speaker to act by acting it (or publishing the decision) to finalise the withdrawal".
He said while there may be differing interpretations of the process between him and committee chairperson, Khusela Diko, Malatsi "maintains a constructive working relationship with the portfolio committee".