SABC board a bungling disaster waiting to happen

Note to Editors: Please find attached an English soundbite by DA Shadow Minister of Communications, Phumzile Van Damme MP.

Today, Communications Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, revealed in Parliament the remuneration packages of the SABC’s top three executives. She revealed that the salaries of the CEO, COO and CFO are R5.1 million, R4 million and R3 million respectively. The total remuneration for executive packages thus stands at R12.1 million.

This is but a marginal R1.2 million decrease compared to the highly inflated R13.3 million paid to top management last financial year, largely as a result of huge yearly increases during the Hlaudi Motsoeneng era.

The SABC was therefore misleading the public when they indicated that the salaries of “the executive management have been significantly reduced”.

It is also a pity that the Minister had to reveal these figures today. The DA has continuously asked SABC board to reveal the salaries of their top management, which they repeatedly refused to do, even when asked in Parliament.

All we asked was for the board to play open cards with the public, which they refused to do.

We today also found out in a reply that the SABC has not conducted a skills audit before considering staff retrenchments. The DA is of the view that the SABC should have instituted a proper skills and salary audit before staff who should not lose their jobs end up doing so.

The SABC board is simply not inspiring confidence and their attitude towards accountability needs to be set straight. We will not allow for a slide towards Hlaudi-esque arrogance. It must be nipped in the bud.

The DA will now write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Communications to request an urgent briefing by the SABC Board to account for their secrecy and the seeming bungling disaster waiting to happen that will be their retrenchment process.

Statement issued by Phumzile Van Damme MP, DA Shadow Minister of Communications, 1 November 2018