SABC board gets millions, but staff told no pay rise
The cash-strapped SABC paid R3.2-million to its five-member interim board during their six-month tenure but staff were told there would be no pay increases.
Directors earned almost double that of the previous board, but the SABC said the new directors had attended more meetings.
Spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said the board had “deferred” payment until staff salaries had been paid.
Details of the board’s pay were revealed by the Broadcasting, Electronic, Media and Allied Workers Union, which represents workers at the SABC. The union said SABC staff had been told no salary increases were to be paid because the broadcaster was bankrupt and awaiting a state bailout of R3-billion.
The Sunday Times has seen an e-mail from the union which revealed the board payments. It shows that each of the five directors of the now-defunct in- terim board earned R640 000 in the six months.
“We question this payment at a time [when] the SABC is allegedly struggling to make ends meet,” reads the e-mail to members from union president Hannes du Buisson.
Du Buisson confirmed the authenticity of the e-mail. He said union members were shocked because the directors had acknowledged that the SABC was “in a very serious financial state”.
“The board had said at some point that they will not take payment for their work until such time that the SABC is in a better financial position. We’re talking a lot of money here; some of my members don’t earn R600 000 in five years,” he said.
Kganyago said the board had been at Auckland Park almost daily and had held 99 meetings between March and September.
Former SABC board chairman Mbulaheni Maguvhe was paid R637 000 last year. His deputy, Leah Khumalo, was paid R700 000.
The interim board was chaired by Khanyisile Kweyama with Mathatha Tsedu as deputy. The board was appointed by President Jacob Zuma in March on the recommendations of the National Assembly. Its term expired in September.
It oversaw the removal of controversial chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng.