Former SABC executive appointed as Sentech board chairman
On 31 March 2010 South Africa’s Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda announced the appointment of Quraysh Patel as the chairman of the board of the ailing state-owned signal distributor, Sentech.

According to a local media report, Patel, a former executive at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and e.tv, is tasked with implementing a new turnaround strategy for the signal distributor, which was recently described as "rudderless, inadequately funded and misdirected" by the task team appointed to investigate its operations.

The company's woes were blamed on various factors, including the changes in the regulatory environment that have opened the market for more competition.

Sentech chief operating officer Beverly Ngwenya was appointed the acting chief executive officer with effect from 1 April 2010 following the departure of Sebiletso Mokone-Matabane. Nyanda also appointed Zanele Hlatshwayo, Mesuli Dhlamini and Thabo Leeuw to Sentech's board.

Nyanda said he was confident that during their three-year tenure, the board members "will contribute towards the strengthening and growth of the organization and take it to greater heights". He said their backgrounds and expertise put them in "good stead to build an entity that inspires hope, and confidence amongst its peers and Sentech staff".
 
Avhasei Mukoma, an industry analyst, said with Patel as the chairman, Sentech would have the benefit of a leader who had extensive broadcasting operations experience and much-needed insight on broadcasting policy and regulatory law.

However, for the new board to succeed it needed a forward-looking strategy and an affordable pricing model for its signal distribution and multimedia licenses. //End//
 
Reagan Malumo
Programme Officer: Media Freedom Monitoring and Research
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