A Johannesburg High Court judge called on SABC chief executive Dali Mpofu and the public broadcaster's board to settle their dispute over his suspension outside the court.

The case was postponed until next week.

"This matter is postponed to Tuesday, 1 July 2008. In the meantime please, I speak the voice of the nation, the judiciary speaks the voice of the nation, forget your personal differences. Please try to resolve this matter... it can be resolved," said Judge Mahomed Jajbhay.

"That is a personal plea I make from the bench... this matter is able to be resolved outside the court."

Judge Jajbhay even offered his own mediation skills.

"I'm happy to do it outside my judiciary capacity... I make the offer on a very serious note. It's in the national interest to resolve this matter once and for all," he said.

Lawyers for Mpofu and the SABC board said they would consider his statement.

Mpofu was in court to appeal his third suspension from the public broadcaster.

Mpofu was first suspended on 7 May, a day after he suspended his news chief Snuki Zikalala, who was accused of leaking a memorandum on Mpofu's alleged bad management of the SABC.

Mpofu challenged his suspension and the Johannesburg High Court ruled in his favour.

A few days later, he was suspended for a second time. On 2 June, the court again set his suspension aside and denied the SABC board leave to appeal its judgment.

Meanwhile, some 50 members of the SABC's senior management forum have signed a petition calling for the board to step down.

Sapa