Pretoria – South Africa’s Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) is this month celebrating 13 years of helping to transform South Africa’s media landscape into one that is vibrant and people centred.
The agency today held an event to mark this auspicious occasion in Parktown, Johannesburg. Communications Minister Faith Muthambi gave a keynote address at the function, where she set the bar even higher for the agency.
“The MDDA has been tasked with providing financial and non-financial support to community and small commercial media projects throughout the country. The MDDA has to be the supporting pillar on which the media can play its critical role in aiding good governance, transparency and accountability.
“A pluralistic and free media sector is needed to ensure that all voices in society are heard. Without a wide array of information, people’s opinions and views would be limited and their impressions and conclusions of the world around them stunted,” the Minister told stakeholders attending the celebrations.
Minister Muthambi used the occasion to formally introduce the agency’s newly appointed CEO, Mr Themba Dlamini. Dlamini started in this position on 1 January 2017. His former roles include that of Managing Director of the Black Management Forum and the Independent Communications Authority. He is also a member of the National Planning Commission.
The Minister said there were great expectations of Dlamini.
“The MDDA has high expectations from you. You need to raise staff morale higher, build an excellent team and fill vacant positions with competent and skilled people… I believe that you will help us to build vibrant and sustainable communication services for an informed citizenry and a positive image of South Africa.”
While thanking the board, management and staff members, who have steered the MDDA ship until a permanent CEO was found, Minister Muthambi said Dlamini must uphold the prescripts of good governance to take the agency forward.
“Over the years, the MDDA had consistently achieved clean audits and there have also been some challenges which must be urgently attended to, so that the MDDA becomes the MDDA of ‘yesteryear’ in its governance but at the same time, it has to prepare for the era of broadband and how it provides services to communities whose profiles, through migration and other factors, are themselves in constant transformation.”
The MDDA was established to, among others, promote media development and diversity by providing support primarily to community and small commercial media projects, and encourage ownership and control of, and access to, media by historically disadvantaged communities as well as by historically diminished indigenous language and cultural groups. – SAnews.gov.za
