SABC ‘hotbed of abuse, low morale’
STAFF morale at the SABC is so low that the place resembles a military base and is a hotbed of abuse.
This was the assertion of most MPs during their meeting with the SABC yesterday when the public broadcaster’s top brass presented their corporate plan before the portfolio committee on communications.
MPs have now recommended that SABC staffers‚ in particular young women‚ are in need of counselling following the consistent abuse they allegedly suffered during executive Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s “reign of terror”.
Lawmakers also lashed out at James Aguma‚ the acting SABC chief executive, saying he should take personal responsibility and resign for his role in the financial crisis now plaguing the SABC.
Aguma is seen as a Motsoeneng ally who was party to some of the SABC’s controversial decisions in his original position as chief financial officer.
The ANC’s Nokuzola Tolashe said a recent oversight visit to the SABC’s Auckland Park offices had shown a troubled organisation that looked like a military base. “I think you need to change that environment because that alone makes people unhappy,” Tolashe said.
“But also in dealing with the staff issues‚ I’m sure you have to take some for counselling.
“You have to because [from] the majority of very highly educated‚ highly articulate young women at the SABC‚ we got to hear daily of them being abused as women.”
DA MP Phumzile van Damme told Aguma it was very strange for him to continue with business as usual as if he had no role in the financial ruin.
Aguma admitted earlier that flagship stations such as Metro FM‚ 5FM‚ Goodhope FM and the SABC were fast losing listeners and viewers as a result of the 90% local content policy unilaterally implemented by Motsoeneng last year.
SABC interim board chairwoman Khanyisile Kweyama said as part of their efforts to fix the national broadcaster‚ they wanted to swiftly fill the chief executive and chief operations officer positions.
They also wanted the Special Investigating Unit to probe promotions and salary increases that Motsoeneng had apparently dished out.