Government will not intervene in the apparent dispute between the SABC board and its executive management, Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri said on Thursday.

The board was responsible for appointing the SABC's executives, so "they have to hire and fire", she told a media briefing at Parliament.

Asked whether she did not think the time had come to intervene, Matsepe-Casaburri said legislation allowed her to do very little and her task was simply to "supervise" the work of the SABC.

"Having explained that... we are all concerned about what has happened at the SABC, but we are also confident that we will be able to overcome the difficulties that are there," she said.

The board had reported to her on developments and "certain actions" were being taken.

These would be monitored to ensure there was no instability at the broadcaster and that it carried out its mandate and continued its work impartially without further damage to its image, Matsepe-Casaburri said.

Sapa