The SABC was again rapped over the knuckles for incurring irregular expenditure amounting to a staggering R4.9 billion over the past five years. In the same period fruitless expenditure totalled R230 million.
The public broadcaster’s board and executives appeared before Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) to account for past malpractices and future challenges facing the broadcaster.
Legislators were blunt. They are adamant the SABC lacks the capacity and willingness to deal decisively with irregular and fruitless expenditure.
In his report, the Auditor General was equally blunt – but the SABC argued that it has drastically improved its risk management processes. This it will assist in curbing further irregular and fruitless expenditure.
The board says it is in a process of trying to recover R21 million from the former Chief Operating Officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng which it believes was irregularly paid.
It has also reduced the use of consultants and only filled strategic vacancies. So far it has saved R463 million But the issue of retrenchments still looms large.
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