Many South Africans bought into the SABC campaign to pay their license fees for the dubious honour of watching whatever Channel 1, 2 and 3 had to offer because “it was the right thing to do”.
Will South Africans still be keen to do the right thing after the Auditor General discovered that one billion rand of license fees could not be accounted for in the flailing state owned television station?
It is unacceptable that the SABC is unable to account for TV licence fees of almost R1 billion. South Africa cannot be expected to continue pay licence fees to fund the SABC, if this funding will simply disappear into the ether.
According to the Auditor-General, Terrence Nombembe, the SABC’s 2012/13 annual report serious financial maladministration:
– R1.58 billion undocumented expenditure;
– R106.3 million irregular expenditure; and
– R913.8 million unsubstantiated revenue for TV Licence fees.
The DA has requested that President Jacob Zuma refer the findings of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) 2012/13 annual report to the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) for further investigation.
The SIU, under proclamation of the President, may investigate any matter of serious maladministration, unlawful expenditure of public money as well as improper or unlawful conduct by employees of any state institution.
South Africans, who for many years have been loyal customers of the public broadcaster, are increasingly irritated by the SABC perpetual board, management and financial crises.
It is time for the government to acknowledge that its cadre deployment strategies have failed the public broadcaster and it must put in place the best professional management it can find and cease the political meddling that has driven talented management away.
The SABC belongs to all of South Africa. It can become the pride and joy of the nation and needs to be fixed.
Tags: sabc democratic alliance
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