appear in person for interviews<\/a> held between 19 and 26 September 2024, while those elsewhere in the country could appear virtually.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThey were required to submit proof of identity, such as a South African ID booklet or smart ID card, and a bank account confirmation letter no older than two months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SABC manager for media relations, Mmoni Seapolelo, confirmed that the public broadcaster was trying to verify freelance contractors within the SABC News division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“This is a standard procedure conducted by SABC’s group internal audit, based on the results of their risk assessment processes,” she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This problem isn’t new for the SABC. In December 2023, an anonymous email surfaced on social media regarding the payment of ghost workers within the SABC News division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The public broadcaster subsequently released a statement to announce that the group executive for news and current affairs at the SABC, Moshoeshoe Monare, had launched an investigation into the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“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,” the statement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It added that one of the managers under investigation had tendered a resignation with immediate effect, while other members of the SABC’s staff faced disciplinary processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The anonymous email claimed that at least 20 ghost workers had benefitted from receiving payments from the SABC in the six months before December 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It further claimed that contracts relating to the ghost workers implicated various senior staff within the public broadcaster’s ranks, including Monare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also alleged involvement from the SABC News head of output and the SABC News channel head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an interview following the email’s circulation, Monare said an ongoing investigation by the SABC found at least three ghost workers who had received payments. However, he refused to confirm the numbers because investigations were ongoing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regarding allegations of his involvement, Monare said he would only provide an official response once the email’s origin had been determined. He said he was unsure of what he was being accused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that any irregular or fraudulent contracts would be terminated with immediate effect and that the SABC would try to recoup the money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monare explained that the SABC started investigating freelance contracts after its head of TV output picked up on some irregular contracts while determining which ones to renew and which to terminate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Most of our independent contractors’ contracts end every financial year, and we start looking at all the contracts. The ones that we need to renew and the new ones that we need to prepare,” said Monare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“That’s where some of our managers, like the head of TV output, picked up some of the appointments to say: there’s something about this employment that’s irregular. We cannot account for this individual.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“For several days, we looked for this individual, and nobody, including the line manager, could vouch for them,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monare said some contracts involved fraud and were referred to the police.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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