SABC officials feel heat as gloves come off at inquiry
AN SABC executive was forced to stand up, apologise and withdraw a statement that parliament’s inquiry into the corporation’s affairs was nothing more than a kangaroo court, while another executive was labelled a pathetic liar by angry MPs.
MPs had clearly lost their cool by the time SABC company secretary Theresa Geldenhuys gave evidence yesterday during parliament’s inquiry into the SABC.
“You have betrayed what corporate governance is all about and South Africans have witnessed someone who is a pathetic liar,” a clearly irritated Makhosi Khoza, of the ANC, said to Geldenhuys.
Khoza was asked to retract her statement by committee chairman Vincent Smith.
She then rephrased her comment, saying she found Geldenhuys to be someone not to be a trusted witness.
Fellow MP Patrick Chauke said he did not find any truth in what Geldenhuys had said.
Smith then switched his attention to SABC group executive for human resources Mohlolo Lephaka, who had called parliament’s in- quiry a kangaroo court. “Apologise unconditionally for using parliament and kangaroo court in the same sentence,” Smith said.
Earlier, the inquiry had heard that former SABC chief executive Lulama Makhobo was “persona non grata” in the organisation in which she was the senior executive, and was so stressed by being undermined by former chief operating of- ficer Hlaudi Motsoeneng that she looked as if she “would drop dead at any minute”.
The relationship between Makhobo, Motsoeneng and former board chairman Ellen Tshabalala was raised by former board member Bongani Khumalo, who was the first to appear before the inquiry yesterday. Makhobo testified last week. “It is fair to say, important to state, that the chief executive of SABC, Ms Makhobo, was not well supported at all,” Khumalo said.
He said people looked up to her for direction.
“But if she’s browbeaten and her back is not straight because she does not enjoy the support, things don’t go well at all.
“She looked like she could drop dead at any time, she was a bundle of nerves,” Khumalo said.
It became clear to him that Makhobo had had her power, her prerogatives and her scope usurped by Motsoeneng, who was then the public broadcaster’s acting chief operating officer, he said.
SABC chairman Mbulaheni Maguvhe was the last to be grilled, telling the committee the reason he had walked out previously was that he had to consult his legal team.
“That was in no way disregarding parliament,” he said.
“But my rights as a visually impaired person were not being protected by this very house.”
Khumalo and Maguvhe’s evidence came a day after SABC journalists told the committee about their harrowing experiences at the hands of Motsoeneng.
‘ She looked like she could drop dead at any time, she was a bundle of nerves