Parliament, Tuesday, 10 October 2017 – The Minister of Communications Ms Ayanda Dlodlo and the management of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Communications to brief the Committee on their 2016/17 Annual Reports and Financial Statements.
The Committee noted with concern, among other things, that the SABC was unable to pay its suppliers on time, had incurred irregular expenditure of R686 million; the Minister’s involvement in the appointment of the SABC Board; that nothing had been reported about the Editorial Policy of the SABC; non-functioning of the Department’s entity oversight; the Department and entities were not adhering to the Committee’s resolution on reporting on matters previously raised in the meetings.
The Committee attributed the problems also on the absence of a plan to address the problems at SABC and the delays in the appointment of the senior management positions such as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer.
The Committee welcomed the commitment that was made by the Minister to fill all the critical positions at the Department and entities before end of January 2018.
The Committee told the Minister to ensure that the Department and entities consistently respond to issues raised by the Committee and that the SABC should appear before the Committee to brief it on how it would mitigate the decline in sponsorship.
Also the Committee Chairperson Mr. Humphrey Maxegwana announced to the Committee that the Committee received letters from the SABC8 journalists and Broadcasting Electronic and Allied Workers Union (BEMAWU) raising common issues. The Committee expressed its disappointment at the attitude shown by the SABC8 journalist of being an organization outside SABC. The Committee agreed to invite both organisations to give them a hearing and engage them on the issues they raised in the letters.
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS, MR HUMPHREY MAXEGWANA
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Name: Mr Mava Lukani
Parliamentary Communication Services
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E-mail: flombard@parliament.gov.za
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