ID WANTS ANSWERS ON R2.7 MILLION SABC OLYMPIC ‘GRAVY PLANE'

‘Our allegations have been confirmed, but South Africans have a right to know more,' says Greyling

Lance Greyling, ID Spokesperson for Communications, says a written reply [below] from Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri has confirmed most of the ID's allegations made over the SABC's ‘gravy plane' to the Beijing Olympics.
‘However, we in the Independent Democrats believe it is the right of every South African taxpayer and citizen to know exactly what the R2 701 217 was spent on,' Mr Greyling says.

Greyling has sent another question [below] to the Minister asking for a breakdown of the expenditure per person and whether any of those listed as part of the delegation were accompanied by travel companions whose expenses were also covered by the SABC.

‘The Minister has also given us a long list of purposes the members of the delegation were required to fulfil and the ID would like to see a full report back on exactly how the three non-executive board members and staff members fared,' says Greyling.

‘Once we have these answers the Independent Democrats will be in a position to comment on whether the public broadcaster, which is budgeting for a substantial loss this year, should have squandered almost R3 million on what appears to us to have been nothing more than a holiday.

‘We have a right as the funders of the public broadcaster to know exactly what every cent of the R2, 7m was spent on,' Greyling says.

‘We have also asked the Minister for details on which other international sporting events over the past year have been attended by staff members and non-executive board members.

‘Given the current economic downturn and the high cost of living that many South Africans are experiencing the ID believes that this type of extravagant spending on the part of the SABC is immoral and a slap in the face for all South Africans,' says Greyling.

PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 1334
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 8 August 2008
QUESTION PAPER NO: 22
DATE OF REPLY: 14 October 2008

Mr. LW Greyling (ID) to ask the Minister of Communications:

(1) Whether the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is sending a delegation to the Beijing Olympics comprising staff and board members who are not directly involved in the operational elements of broadcasting the Olympics; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) what is the purpose of such a delegation, (b) what are the names and positions of (i) staff and (ii) board members on the delegation and (c) what is the cost to the SABC of sending the delegation to the Olympics;
(2) whether this expenditure is justified in view of the SABC projecting a substantial loss in the 2008-09 financial year; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
NW2102E

REPLY:

(1) I was informed by the SABC that they did send a delegation to the Beijing Olympics comprising staff and board members who were not directly involved in the operational elements of broadcasting the Olympics.

(a) The purpose of such a delegation was to -

• market and promote the SABC corporate and SABC Sport brands, reputation and image;
• build, promote and develop strong relationships with members of the industry (internal and external stakeholders, as well as members of print media);
• use the event as an opportunity to emphasize the SABC's commitment to providing universal access to programme that informs, educate and entertains;
• use the events as a vehicle for SABC's executive management to foster and influence relationships with key stakeholders;
• create a platform for communication and networking; and
• contribute to audience growth and loyalty (before and during broadcasts)

(b) The names and positions of the -
(i) staff on the delegation are as follows:
Gab Mampone, Acting GCEO
Ntando Simelane, Acting Company Secretary
Lulama Mokhobo, Group Executive
Gwyn Khaas, Sport: Events Manager
Mvuzo Mbebe, Group Executive: Content Enterprises
Strini Naicker, Acting Group Executive: Commercial Enterprises
Bessie Tugwana, General Manager: SABC2
Peter Kwele, Acting General Manager: 2010 Unit
Neo Khumalo, Special Projects & Events Manager: Content Enterprises

(ii) board members on the delegation are as follows:
Ashwin Trikamjee, Non-executive board member
Desmond Golding, Non-executive board member
Nadia Bulbulia, Non-executive board member

(c) The estimated cost to the SABC of sending the delegation to the Olympics was R2 701 217,00.

2. I am advised by SABC that SABC Sport had budgeted for the trip to the Beijing Olympics, and therefore the expenditure was justified in the circumstances.

National Assembly
Written Reply
Date submitted: 29th October 2008
Mr. LW Greyling (ID) to ask the Minister of Communications:

In reference to Question number 1334:

1. Whether the non-executive board members on the SABC delegation to the Beijing Olympics, Ashwin Trikamjee, Desmond Golding and Nadia Bulbulia have presented a report on how exactly they (a) marketed and promoted the SABC corporate and SABC Sport brands, reputation and image; (b) built, promoted and developed strong relationships with members of the industry (internal and external stakeholders, as well as members of print media); (c) used the event as an opportunity to emphasize the SABC's commitment to providing universal access to programme that informs, educate and entertains; (d) used the event as a vehicle for SABC's executive management to foster and influence relationships with key stakeholders; (e) created a platform for communication and networking; and (f) contributed to audience growth and loyalty (before and during broadcasts); if so, please provide us with the report; if not, why not;

2. Whether the members of staff on the same delegation, Gab Mampone, Acting GCEO, Ntando Simelane, Acting Company Secretary, Lulama Mokhobo, Group Executive Gwyn Khaas, Sport: Events Manager Mvuzo Mbebe, Group Executive: Content Enterprises Strini Naicker, Acting Group Executive: Commercial Enterprises Bessie Tugwana, General Manager: SABC2 Peter Kwele, Acting General Manager: 2010 Unit Neo Khumalo, Special Projects & Events Manager: Content Enterprises have presented a report on how exactly they (a) marketed and promoted the SABC corporate and SABC Sport brands, reputation and image; (b) built, promoted and developed strong relationships with members of the industry (internal and external stakeholders, as well as members of print media); (c) used the event as an opportunity to emphasize the SABC's commitment to providing universal access to programme that informs, educate and entertains; (d) used the event as a vehicle for SABC's executive management to foster and influence relationships with key stakeholders; (e) created a platform for communication and networking; and (f) contributed to audience growth and loyalty (before and during broadcasts); if so, please furnish us with the report; if not, why not;

3. How many of these staff and non-executive board members took any travel companions with them; if they did, did the SABC cover any of their expenses;

4. Please provide us with a breakdown per person (and their travel companions where relevant) in terms of expenditure in regards to the R2 701 217,00 spent on the trip in relation to (a) flights (b) accommodation (c) food and (d) entertainment;

5. Did any of these members attend any other international events over the past year at the expense of the SABC?

Statement issued by Lance Greyling, MP, Independent Democrats spokesperson for communications, October 29 2008