Minister must Account for SABC Crisis

Dear Editor

• Reports of the SABC running out of money to pay its employees while top executives receive millions are alarming.
• The broadcaster has been running at a loss for years and will most likely receive another taxpayer bailout.
• The Minister must explain to Parliament how he intends to save SABC because South Africans cannot continue in this endless cycle of bailouts.
• The DA will write to Minister Mondli Gungubele as well as the Chairperson of the Communications Portfolio Committee, requesting the Minister to account to Parliament on how he intends to save the SABC and avoid day zero without wasting crucial taxpayer money.

The recent admission by the Chief Financial Officer at the SABC that the executive team has no sense of urgency and is running “on autopilot” is alarming. As day zero approaches, where the SABC will no longer be able to pay salaries, immediate action is necessary.

Morale amongst employees is at an all-time low, with many wondering if they will have a job next month and whether a fresh round of retrenchments will take place due to a complete lack of senior leadership. It is disheartening to see that while top executives at the SABC earn a combined R32.5 million per year in salaries, the employees and their families are the ones at risk of becoming jobless and struggling to put food on the table.

This failure falls squarely on the shoulders of senior management and the Minister, who has far-reaching oversight over the board and operations. The complete collapse of the SABC, which was ransacked during state capture, has seen a staff exodus and an inability to collect R44 billion in revenue from TV licenses. This is not a new issue; the SABC has been in constant danger for the past decade due to inefficient control systems and a lack of leadership, resulting in billions being incurred in irregular expenditure every year without fail.

Now, it seems that the broken SABC will most likely receive yet another bailout to stave off liquidation through business rescue, leading to further taxpayer bailouts sinking into the endless money pit. This is in addition to the R3.2 billion bailout it received in 2019. These repeated bailouts divert taxpayer money that could have been invested in education, health, and policing, undermining the development of crucial sectors.

While the SABC is a crucial entity for many South Africans, we cannot continue in this endless cycle of bailouts. The DA’s plan is to make the SABC profitable by partnering with market experts to ensure its financial sustainability and create a leading public broadcaster that is fit for purpose and competitive. It is clear that the ANC has no intention of pursuing this course of action, and therefore, a DA government is necessary to achieve these goals.

Regards

Natasha Mazzone MP
DA Shadow Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies