Minister of Communications Nomvula Mokonyane has revealed the remuneration packages of the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) top three executives.
She’s told the National Council of Provinces that the broadcaster’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Madoda Mxakwe, Chief Operations Officer (COO) Chris Maroleng and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Yolande van Biljon earn salaries ranging from three to over five million rand a year.
Mokonyane was responding to a question from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) MP Mtomuhle Khawula during an oral reply session.
Mokonyane says the SABC Group Executives are earning less than their predecessors.
“The annual remuneration packages for each of the current executive directors of the SABC are as follows: the Group CEO is R5,1 million; the COO is R4,03 million and the CFO is R3 million. These packages are significantly lower than the previous executive directors. This amounts to one 1,1% of the current salary bill. The overall annual remuneration and amount of benefits of the current SABC’s ten Group executives amounts to R24,7-million on average, a Group Executive’s package is R2,47 million per annum,” Mokonyane explained.
In his follow-up question, Khawula made it clear he wasn’t impressed with the salary packages of the SABC group executives.
“How do we justify this in view of the current financial situation that is pertaining at the SABC, where thousands of employees are threatened with job losses because there is no money and there is somebody who is earning R5,1 million a year in the same company. People are looking for Jobs, because there is no money but there is somebody who is earning R4,03 million. People are losing jobs and there is somebody who is earning R3 million. Now how do you justify this as government? What does government plan to do in view of this financial situation,” says Khawula.
“Comprehensive Turn-Around Task-Team”
The Minister has again reiterated the view of government to have a comprehensive Turn-Around Task-Team that includes the Board of the SABC, Treasury and the department of Communications to ensure we finalize a sustainable turnaround plan.
“Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, has agreed to meet and engage on the state of the SABC and the turnaround plan within the next three weeks to find solutions to the current financial challenges confronting the SABC.”
“The shareholder to date has not consented to the current process of retrenchments currently being pursued by the Board and Management of the SABC.”
Responding as to whether or not action has been taken against those found to have been responsible for the current challenges that face th SABC, the Minister stated that “We are pleased that the current Board and Executives are acting on the recommendations and outcomes of the various investigations that pronounced on the SABC, specifically the Public Protector, the Special Investigative Unit and Parliamentary Enquiry reports” said Minister Mokonyane.
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