R680 000 spent to send SABC officials to hearing

THE SABC spent more than R680 000 on the travel costs of board members and officials who were supposed to testify before a parliamentary ad hoc committee into affairs at the broadcaster‚ some of whom refused to testify even after travelling from Johannesburg to Cape Town.

This was a reply to a DA question in parliament.

The SABC paid more than R20 000 on flights and accommodation for former chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng and more than R31 000 on travel costs for former chief executive James Aguma.

Some of the other estimated travel costs include:

ý R183 000 for former SABC chairman Professor Mbulaheni Maguvhe;

ý R100 000 for former SABC company secretary Theresa Geldenhuys; and ý R34 000 for SABC company secretary Lindiwe Bayi.

Some of the hotels the officials stayed at included the five-star African Pride Crystal Towers and the Hilton Hotel.

In the parliamentary reply‚ the financially distressed SABC said it would not recover the money from those who had not attended the inquiry.

The DA’s Phumzile van Damme said: “This means that the public essentially footed the bill for a luxury holiday in Cape Town for people who destroyed a once world-class public broadcaster.”

Her party would write to the chairman of the SABC board‚ Bongumusa Makhathini‚ to request that the SABC recoup the costs from all individuals who travelled to Cape Town for the SABC inquiry but refused to testify‚ or walked out.