The Portfolio Committee on Communications has welcomed the interim presidential report of the Special Investigative Unit (SIU), regarding the investigation into the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
The SIU is investigating the SABC in terms of the presidential proclamation R29 of 2017, which focussed on a variety of issues, including the irregular awarding of contracts, maladministration and irregular appointments and salary increases.
“We have noted the positive progress, in which millions of rands worth of contracts were declared irregular and set aside by the courts. We also note that due legal processes are in motion to recover the lost funds,” said Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize, the Chairperson of the committee.
The committee has expressed its support of the SIU and SABC filing an application under section 162 of the Companies Act of 2008, to declare the former SABC Board members to be delinquent directors and to have them placed under an order of probation for failing to act in the best interests of the SABC.
The committee also commended the cooperation between the SIU and the National Prosecuting Authority and appreciates the SIU’s recommendation to establish a tribunal, to be headed by a judge.
The committee will await the final investigative report, which will be tabled to President Cyril Ramaphosa on 24 April 2019.
At the same time, the committee is unimpressed with the way the SABC is dealing with the matter involving section 189 of the Labour Relations Act. Prof Mkhize said the view of the committee is that the SABC should retract the retrenchment notices issued to staff members, in order to allow negotiations with stakeholders to take place.
The committee does not appreciate that the SABC is proceeding with retrenchments, against the advice of the committee two weeks earlier. The committee has resolved to meet with organised labour to hear their views on the matter.
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