SABC chasing ghosts
The South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC’s) News division has embarked on a process of hunting and eradicating “ghost workers” on its payroll using selfies, TV with Thinus reports.
Citing insider sources, the report stated that all workers in Gauteng have been instructed to present themselves in person.
At the same time, those elsewhere in the country must appear on a video call, during which they must also present a photograph of themselves.
Workers must also provide proof of identity, such as a South African ID or green ID booklet, and a bank account confirmation letter not older than two months and stamped within the past two months.
The interviews have been taking place since 19 September and will continue until 26 September.
The SABC’s manager for media relations, Mmoni Seapolelo, confirmed that it had undertaken a verification process for freelance contractors in the SABC News division.
“This is a standard procedure conducted by SABC’s group internal audit, based on the results of their risk assessment processes,” Seapolelo added.
This is the second investigation into ghost workers within the SABC News division in the past year.
In December 2023, the public broadcaster released a statement announcing that its Group Executive for News and Current Affairs, Moshoeshoe Monare, had launched an investigation into freelance contracts that turned out to be irregular, corrupt, and fraudulent.
“The South African Broadcasting Corporation has noted with concern the contents of an anonymous email on social media regarding the payment of ‘ghost workers’ at the SABC News division,” it said.
“One of the managers under investigation tendered a resignation with immediate effect, while other staff members are facing disciplinary processes.”
It added that the matters would be referred to other relevant authorities for further investigation.
The email in question alleged that at least 20 ghost workers benefited from the SABC in the six months leading up to December 2023. Its circulation on social media prompted the public broadcaster’s response.
According to the email, the contracts of the ghost workers implicated several senior staff at the SABC, including the Group Executive for News and Current Affairs, the SABC News Head of Output, and the SABC News Channel Head, for their alleged involvement in hiring and paying the workers.
In an interview with SABC News, Monare said the public broadcaster had found at least three ghost employees who had received payments from the SABC. However, he said he could not confirm the exact numbers as the investigations were still ongoing.
Regarding the allegations implicating himself, Monare said he wanted to determine the email’s origin before providing an official response as he was unsure of what he was being accused of.
However, he added that all irregular or fraudulent contracts would be terminated with immediate effect and that the public broadcaster would move to recoup the funds.
SABC in deep financial trouble
South Africa’s public broadcaster has been losing money since the 2014/15 financial year, reporting a R1.13-billion loss in its latest annual results.
The broadcaster says its current budget reflects “an SABC in financial distress”.
While it says its financial situation is improving, with the SABC expecting to reduce its losses to R590 million at the end of the current financial year, the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies supports reworking the public broadcaster’s funding model.
It also supports greater public funding for the SABC. However, committee chair Khusela Sangoni has requested that the broadcaster and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies provide it with alternative funding options to consider.
The SABC’s head of policy and regulatory affairs, Philly Moilwa, recently presented one such alternative to the committee: a household levy to be collected by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and DStv owner MultiChoice.
Moilwa argued that access to the SABC has expanded to multiple devices, no longer just TVs, creating the need for a household levy.
However, SABC CEO Nomsa Chabeli said the public broadcaster will require interim relief while an alternative funding model is developed.
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