SABC vows to tackle bribes
HLAUDI SENDS THREAT OF ARREST FOR COLLUSION
HLAUDI Motsoeneng has vowed to root out corruption at the SABC.
The public broadcaster’s chief operating officer was speaking at the opening of Moshito Music Conference taking place at the SABC Radio Park in Auckland Park, Johannesburg, until tomorrow.
Despite the rumours that the conference was not going to happen because many artists were not happy with the organisers, things went off without a glitch.
Motsoeneng said the issue of payola that many musicians have been complaining about was a thing of the past because they were doing their own forensic investigations. He said the days were numbered for all compilers who have been denying other artists an opportunity and giving others unnecessary airtime.
He further declared that there will be no songs that will dominate the airwaves than others.
“Those that bribe others and those who accept it will be arrested. It will be worse if you work for us because we will fire you and open a case later.” Motsoeneng challenged South Africa artists to produce good and quality music because SABC has played its role by allocating 90% quota of airplay. He said the SABC would pay needle time rights to all the artists who have been played from 2006 backwards.
The three-day Moshito Music Conference was opened by Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa. Chairperson of the Moshito Music Conference, Sipho Sithole, refuted rumours that international artists that performed at the Moshito were paid more than local artists.
He said this year the conference’s theme, Censored: When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised, was inspired by SAMA Lifetime Achievement recipient Roger Lucey. It was looking back to when music was censored in South Africa by the apartheid government.
Lucey is a white musician whose career was cut short by the apartheid security police in the early 1980s because he was fighting the system. It also looks forward to how this creative industry shouldn’t under go the same situation again in this democracy.
THE SABC has paid out golden handshakes to four top executives since last year‚ a reply to a DA parliamentary question has revealed.
The out-of-court settlements‚ including to former chief executive officer Frans Matlala‚ revealed what appeared to be a purge of senior staff who had either spoken out or commissioned reports about corruption at the SABC‚ DA spokesperson on communications Phumzile Van Damme said.
She added that the DA would submit an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act to get full disclosure of the amounts paid to the senior executives should this not be disclosed in the SABC’s annual report due to be released later this month.
According to the reply‚ since April 2015‚ the SABC has paid out-of-court settlements to:
Matlala – suspended for allegedly cooperating with National Treasury looking into a R40-million SABC studio ordered by Hlaudi Motsoeneng‚ which was never put out to tender;
Head of internal audit‚ Lorraine Francois – suspended for commissioning an investigation and compiling a report on the SABC’s corporate governance operations. She was reinstated after the SABC failed to prove allegations of misconduct against her;
Head of technology‚ Sipho Masinga – suspended for compiling a report about the dilapidated state of SABC infrastructure. His report noted that poor infrastructure was “aggravated by the appointment of incompetent persons who place moratoriums on maintenance and investments in new technology”;
Head of legal services‚ Mbulu Nepfumbada – reasons for the settlement unclear.
“The SABC continues to be plagued by endless issues including financial mismanagement‚ staff purges and issues of censorship under the watch and with the support of Communications Minister‚ Faith Muthambi‚” said Van Damme. She said staff who spoke out were suspended or fired‚ often without following due legal process. Out-of-court settlements were often reached‚ so that the SABC did not have to answer for its actions.
“The DA will continue to fight for the SABC to be brought out of the red into the black. With the right leadership and proper financial management‚ the SABC can be the public broadcaster we can all be proud of,” she said.