SABC splurges R16 million on rental cars

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has spent more than R16 millionon rental cars from 1 April 2010 to 24 February 2012. This was revealed in a reply to a Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentary question posed to the Minister of Communications Dina Pule. 

This amounts to R23 250 a day spent on rental cars by the SABC. This equates to the SABC buying a brand new Polo 1.4 Trendline (retailing at approximately R154 000)every seven days. 

In addition, the SABC has also spent a total of R543 590 on shuttle services, amounting to R24 708 per number of times the shuttles were used. SABC board members were responsible for 60% of the shuttle costs, which means that the shuttles were not used to fulfill operational requirements.

I will write to the Chairperson of the Communications Portfolio Committee to ask that the SABC's CEO be called before the Committee to explain and account for this abuse of public money. I will also ask follow-up questions on what rules will be put in place to cut travel and other costs at top management level to set a clear example to the SABC staff. 

This latest disclosure of wasteful expenditure by the SABC comes hot on the heels of reports late last year which revealed that SABC staff spent R20 million on 86 luxury cars. 

These new figures reinforce the SABC's complete disregard for prudence and the appropriate management of its funds. There are several simple questions to be asked of the SABC:

• Why can't its board members and staff drive themselves or share lifts and claim mileage from the company as most South Africans do?
• Why does the SABC not own a fleet of entry-level vehicles for its staff to use for work purposes?
• Why is the cost calculated per passenger and not per vehicle?
• Why is so much money spent on drivers waiting for their passengers?

The SABC is a public entity. It must therefore demonstrate a more frugal attitude. The abuse of public resources to the ultimate detriment of South Africans in general, and the poor in particular, to fund flashy lifestyles cannot, and should not, be tolerated. 

Statement issued by Marian Shinn MP, DA Shadow Minister of Communications, March 28 2012

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