Crackdown on broadcaster’s lawyers

PARLIAMENT has taken a hard line against SABC lawyers who penned a letter demanding answers from the ad hoc committee into the public broadcaster.

The committee yesterday also insisted that former SABC board chairperson Mbulaheni Maguvhe must pay legal costs for his case last year, where he challenged the inquiry into the broadcaster.

Chairperson of the committee Vincent Smith said this was in line with the judgment of Judge Siraj Desai of the Western Cape High Court.

It was reported last year that Maguvhe’s bill was expected to total R2 million.

Turning to the lawyers who advised Maguvhe and the SABC not to hand over documents, Smith said they would deal with the lawyers.

He asked lawyers for Parliament to deal with the letter from the lawyers, explaining that they were acting on the instructions of the SABC.

The committee has criticised the lawyers for giving the SABC bad advice. Smith said they would not be dictated to by the lawyers on what to do.

The SABC lawyers were last week accused of the bad legal advice after the public broadcaster refused to hand over “commercially sensitive” documents.

This led to the SABC staging a walkout. The lawyers also represented Maguvhe in his case against Parliament.

The ad hoc committee insisted that the judgment was clear that he must pay legal costs from his own pocket.

The board disintegrated after infighting that lasted about three years.

Maguvhe was the last board member to go after he lost his court challenge last month.