SABC troubles – irregular tenders?
Calls for investigation into whether the de facto owners of a consulting firm on the SABC’s books, receiving millions, are the SABC’s head of group management and strategy, Sipho Sithole, and axed chief executive Dali Mpofu…
Will calls for a full forensic investigation into "wastage" and mismanagement at the SABC reveal irregularities in the broadcaster’s tender activites?
The Communications Workers Union and the Media Workers’ Association of South Africa called for an immediate independent forensic audit into the SABC, which reported a financial loss of R839-million for the 2008/09 financial year.
A 14-page memorandum from the unions, alleging that "money has been wasted with impunity" at the SABC, has been handed to Parliament’s portfolio committee.
The report said losses at the broadcaster in the past year were due to declining revenue and "unrestrained over-expenditure".
Among the unions’ allegations was a series of payments, valued at several million rand, made to the company Gemini Consulting.
It needed to be established whether the empowerment company registered to Gemini Consulting was not de facto owned by the SABC’s head of group management and strategy, Sipho Sithole, and axed chief executive Dali Mpofu, the memorandum read.
