Allegations that Matilda Gaboo squandered funds shows SABC's dysfunctionality under previous board
The amount of money - R49 million and counting - allegedly wasted by former SABC head of international programme acquisition, Matilda Gaboo, and reported in the Sunday Times today is mind-boggling. It shows that our description of the SABC under its previous Board as a sick institution was, if anything, an understatement.
That Board, which expired at the end of 2007, was simply ignored by GCEO Dali Mpofu when he was instructed to take action against Ms Gaboo, according to an unnamed Board member and SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago. Mpofu "felt the charges needed to be investigated fully to protect Ms Gaboo's labour rights". Ms Gaboo reportedly left the SABC last May.
Mpofu is currently pursuing his own labour rights after losing his last High Court action against the current Board, which suspended him pending disciplinary proceedings on a range of issues, including failure to implement Board resolutions and alleged financial mismanagement.
In at least one previous instance - the case of legal head Mafika Sihlali - Mpofu stood to be accused of failing to take steps to prevent money going down the drain (through fraudulent legal billing) and "appointing an acting head of legal when an internal audit report had recommended disciplinary steps against him". He also failed to report Mr Sihali's resignation to the Board.
Adv. Mpofu has enjoyed the support of the ANC throughout his nearly year-long struggle to avoid suspension and dismissal by a new Board which is trying to clean the Augean stable at the public broadcaster. The appearance of Mr Mathews Phosa in today's revelations is therefore of considerable interest. Auditors found the bag of R121 584.00 in cash with which Ms Gaboo bought business class return tickets for Mr Phosa and her own child suspicious, but Mr Phosa claims that the money was a loan from his company. Ms Gaboo now works for a Phosa company.
The SABC Board has dismissed Adv. Mpofu on the grounds of incompatibility and sent him a large cheque, which he has paid into his attorney's trust fund while he approaches the Labour Court. While we can understand the Board's desire to get on with the cleaning of the stables after a full year consumed by litigation and politicking, it is regrettable that the full disciplinary proceedings did not commence.
We do not believe that "workshops" between Board and management, as recommended by consultants, offer any answer to a politically-driven standoff between the Board and one half of its top management. If management will not take instruction from the Board, and wherever managers are found unfit for their office, they must go.
Statement issued by Dene Smuts MP, Democratic Alliance spokesperson on communications, March 22 2009
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