Carrim willing to testify
‘There have been allegations about this in many spheres for years now’
FORMER Communications Minister Yunus Carrim says he is willing to testify if approached by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) in its probe into MultiChoice.
Icasa will begin an investigation into alleged payments made by MultiChoice to ANN7 and the SABC.
The probe follows a complaint that was lodged by the DA, after describing the transactions as a strategy to try to influence government policy on digital migration.
“It’s surprising Icasa has taken so long. There have been widespread allegations about this in many spheres for several years now.
“In any case, how can one company be allowed to dominate 98% of pay TV, charge so much for their services and exclude the vast majority of people from access?” he asked.
MultiChoice spokesperson Jackie Rakitla said the company had noted the developments and woud wait to hear from Icasa.
MultiChoice is accused of giving R100 million to the SABC in exchange for the public broadcaster’s alleged political influence over digital migration.
The pay TV company reportedly also allegedly made a questionable payment of R25m to the ANN7 news channel, then owned by the controversial Gupta family.
MultiChoice is also accused of increasing its annual payment to the channel from R50m to R141m in exchange for influence over the government’s position on the introduction of encrypted set-top boxes.
The payments are said to have occurred soon after the Gupta family had lobbied President Jacob Zuma to transfer certain broadcasting powers to former communications minister Faith Muthambi.
MultiChoice is accused of trying to remain dominant in the pay TV market by trying to reverse the government policy of encryption so as to ensure set-top boxes were unencrypted.
Meanwhile, Parliament’s communications portfolio committee is forging ahead with its inquiry into state capture, and in particular, allegations pertaining to Muthambi.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Lechesa Tsenoli requested that an inquiry into state capture be scheduled as the first item on the committee’s agenda in 2018.
Chairperson of the committee Humphrey Maxegwana said: “There is no question about whether we are going to do it or not, the issue is how we are going to do it.
“I am seeking legal opinion regarding that, and will present all that information to the committee meeting for adoption.”
When reports of an “irregular relationship” between MultiChoice and ANN7 surfaced, the pay TV company said it would investigate its total payments to ANN7 and also investigate concerns about corporate governance failures.
The company said yesterday that it would make an announcement on the investigation soon.
The Guptas sold their shares in ANN7 and The New Age newspaper earlier in 2017 to Lodidox, a company owned by former government spokesman Mzwanele “Jimmy” Manyi, in a vendor-financed deal.