[UPDATE as at 10:42am – The ad hoc committee has resolved to continue with the inquiry]

Mbulaheni Maguvhe, the sole-remaining non-executive SABC board member, has launched an appeal against the decision to dismiss his interdict against the public broadcaster’s parliamentary inquiry, stalling today’s proceedings.

This was revealed by the chair of the ad hoc committee investigating the board’s fitness to hold office, Vince Smith, as the first meeting began today.

This is the second time the inquiry has had to hit the brakes after Maguvhe last week launched an interdict against the proceedings, applying for them to be postponed.

The Western Cape High Court dismissed the interdict, allowing the inquiry to proceed.

At the start of today’s meeting, Smith told committee members about the appeal, putting in question whether or not the meeting should continue.

“Honourable members, yesterday afternoon I was informed that Professor Maguvhe has filed a leave to appeal Judge [Siraj] Desai’s ruling on Friday… I am not aware that the court has given its reasons for the findings and if that is the position that the court has not given its reasons… I am unclear on what basis the appeal could have been made,” Smith said.

Parliament’s senior council advised the committee that although there was no court order prohibiting the inquiry from going on, it should consider putting it on hold to explore the appeal.

Members of the committee couldn’t agree on whether or not to continue and decided to have a private meeting away from all other attendees, including Minister of Communications, Faith Muthambi and SABC GE of Corporate Affairs, Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

The meeting will resume shortly after 10:30am.