The newly appointed SABC board has asked Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda and Parliament to help it get the auditor-general to conduct another forensic investigation into the public broadcaster's finances. by Nkululeko Ncana
SABC deputy chairman Felleng Sekha yesterday told MPs this was necessary if the institution was to determine the extent of misconduct uncovered by the AG in his previous report. She said the public broadcaster could not afford to foot the bill for bringing in the AG.
"Based on information we've discovered in the internal audit report, we request the [parliamentary portfolio committee on communications] to assist us in getting the AG to come back and conduct a more comprehensive forensic audit. It is important that we determine the extent of the malfeasance within the SABC," Sekha said.
Board chairman Ben Ngubane said that in disciplinary hearing cases that had been concluded "there was no money lost".
"It was more about people signing contracts beyond their delegation. But there was no evidence of people gaining out of it," he said.
But Communications Deputy Minister Dina Pule warned that now was not be the ideal moment to bring in the AG because the SABC was working on implementing his recommendations.
"My proposal would be to first implement the recommendations. If we realise that we need further investigations, as a ministry we would not say no," she said.
Ngubane said investigations were under way because the internal audit committee had discovered that "a significant amount of money was siphoned off the SABC".
He said managers who had allowed fraud under their watch were being investigated.
"There will be criminal charges wherever we find grounds," he said.
Ngubane said issues related to conflicts of interest between SABC employees and management would "never happen" during his board's tenure. He said there would be strict compliance with the Public Finance Management Act in the procurement of goods and services.
"Even the appointment of consultants will in future go through proper processes," Ngubane said
Sekha said disciplinary action had been taken against some senior managers following the recommendations of the AG. She told Parliament that final written warnings have been given to the public broadcaster's chief financial officer, Robin Nicholson, and to its head of audience services, Anton Heunis.
"The panel found against the CFO on several matters and made a recommendation that a final written warning, valid for nine months, be imposed. Proceedings against the head of audience services have been concluded. He has been sanctioned with a final written warning of six months," she said.
Sekha said the disciplinary hearing against the group executive for content and enterprises, Mvuzo Mbebe, was under way and he remains suspended.
