SABC: committee vows strong action

Parliament’s ad hoc committee looking into the mess at the SABC has vowed to take strong action against individuals who misled it during hearings that started in December and concluded last week. The committee heard from its last witnesses on Friday.

Parliament’s ad-hoc committee investigating issues at the SABC has vowed to take strong action against individuals who misled it during hearings that concluded last week.

The committee heard evidence from its last witnesses, former SABC board chairman Ben Ngubane and Zandile Tshabalala, on Friday.

Committee chairman Vincent Smith said on Sunday “contradictions” had emerged during the hearings that meant the committee might have been misled by some witnesses.

The committee would compile a draft report this week, before producing a final report in February.

Witness testimony would be scrutinised further to check for inconsistencies, Smith said.

The committee would consult Parliament’s legal advisers with a view to laying criminal charges against individuals who may have committed perjury.

Smith highlighted the testimony of Ngubane that the SABC’s airing of business breakfasts of the Gupta familyowned The New Age had benefited it and did not cost it money. In December, former SABC contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko told the committee the SABC had paid up to R500m to ANN7 to air business breakfasts.

“These are some of the contradictory statements that came out … we will have to verify what we heard and get people to explain why they made such statements and on what basis,” Smith said.

Ngubane also said there was no political interference at the SABC, while Tshabalala said political parties meddled in SABC affairs.

Tshabalala, the disgraced former board chairwoman, told the committee on Friday the ANC, DA and the SACP had interfered with the public broadcaster’s work.

She said she had received a phone call from an SACP official who asked her to support the encryption of set-top boxes that will be required when digital migration occurs. The report will look into policy issues that will inform the work of the new SABC board.

The draft report would be handed over to SABC executives for input in January. Affected individuals could still submit evidence in writing or in the form of an affidavit, Smith said.