Deputy President Paul Mashatile is facing backlash from fellow ANC government ministers for supporting Communications Minister Solly Malatsi’s decision to withdraw the SABC Bill.
According to the Sunday Times, tensions ran high during a cabinet meeting this week, where ANC ministers confronted Mashatile over his endorsement of Malatsi’s reasoning for pulling the bill. As the leader of government business in parliament, Mashatile presented Malatsi’s rationale for the withdrawal on Wednesday, which did not sit well with several ANC members.
The SABC Bill was drafted to replace the outdated Broadcasting Act of 1999, which predates the rise of the Internet and the transformation of the entertainment and news industries. Former Communications Minister Mondli Gungubele, now Malatsi’s deputy, initially published the bill’s first draft in October 2023. However, the proposal faced significant criticism from industry stakeholders for failing to address the SABC’s ongoing financial struggles.
Malatsi reportedly provided Mashatile with his reasons for withdrawing the bill after a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza. Despite Malatsi’s withdrawal of the bill four months ago, it has yet to be officially gazetted.
Several ANC ministers accused Mashatile of acting unilaterally by agreeing to the withdrawal without broader consultation. One source told the Sunday Times that Mashatile was “completely out of order” for simply going along with Malatsi’s decision.
Mashatile’s spokesperson, Mduduzi Mbada, declined to comment on cabinet discussions but emphasized that the withdrawal process is governed by cabinet procedures. “The process of a bill is a cabinet process so when a minister wishes to withdraw a bill they have to come back to cabinet to give reasons (in order) to get cabinet’s approval,” said Mbada.
An insider present at the meeting noted that the DA’s recent rejection of the budget had further solidified opposition among ANC ministers in the Government of National Unity. “They are now solidified: some are even opposing for the sake of opposing. They insisted that Malatsi must come back with his own formal presentation,” the source said.
