The cast members of Generations
The draft document compiled after the ad hoc committee hearing into the fitness of the SABC’s board was leaked on social media on Tuesday, ahead of the committee’s meeting to finalise its report.
The committee is gathering on Thursday and Friday to incorporate its members input and complete the document.
Committee member Phumzile Van Damme confirmed the legitimacy of the report that appeared online as the one distributed to the committee.
She said she had perused it and thought the draft document was “a good start”.
Among the recommendations in the draft report is that witnesses found to have given misleading or false information to the committee be sanctioned and that editorial independence and a high standard of journalism be adhered to at the broadcaster.
It also recommended that the SABC board’s dissolution be finalised as a matter of urgency, that the interim board institute a probe into all irregular and wasteful expenditure, that action be taken against those behind this expenditure and that steps be taken to recover the money.
Clarity on legislation recommended
It further recommended that the role of the shareholder be clarified to ensure no undue encroachment on the operations of the public broadcaster or responsibilities of the board and that it complies with good corporate governance and compliance.
In terms of legal status and governance, it recommended that the executive and Parliament clarify which legislation takes precedence in the appointment and dismissal of board members and that the funding model of the SABC – operating as a public broadcaster and a commercial entity – be reviewed to ensure financial sustainability.
The committee noted in the draftreport it had observed that the SABC board, as the accounting authority, had failed to do its duty in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act because there were no effective measures to ensure there was no irregular, unauthorised, wasteful and fruitless expenditure, as shown by the auditor general’s annual report for the past financial year, according to the draft report. This expenditure totalled R5.1-billion.
The auditor general also found instances of the board not complying with supply chain management regulations.
The committee observed that the board and its sub-committee had “failed to exercise effective oversight over the administration specifically in relation to adherence to financial and human resource management” while also failing to implement the remedial action in accordance with the public protector’s recommendations in the report titled When Governance and Ethics Fail.
It also said the board had not intervened meaningfully in the intimidation and threats against eight of its journalists.
Once completed the report will be sent to the SABC for comment. – News24
See the full draft report below: