SABC promises swift action on luxury cars

Disciplinary action will be taken by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) after a probe into the use of leased luxury vehicles by its news teams, the broadcaster said on Thursday.

“We have taken action and within two weeks we will give the results,” said acting group chief executive Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

“Those people will be disciplined,” he said.

Stakeholder relations manager Sully Motsweli said the company with the tender to supply the leased cars had not had sedans and bakkies suitable for the SABC’s needs.

Instead, it supplied 22 Mercedes-Benzes from its own fleet.

Investigation
“The SABC did not go out and acquire Mercedes-Benzes to the value of R20-million,” Motsweli said.

The SABC launched an investigation into the leases in October after reports that the public broadcaster had spent R20-million on 86 luxury vehicles for its news team.

Motsoeneng said only one employee person had been found to have signed for the cars so far, that it had been not within the employee’s authority to do so and that due process had not been followed.

The internal audit could still find others implicated in the irregular car leases, he said.—Sapa