NEW claims of gross financial mismanagement at the SABC were made yesterday. <\/p>\n
This happened on the day the corporation was forced to suspend two of its top staff members pending an internal investigation.<\/p>\n
The Broadcast, Electronic Media and Allied Workers’ Union said a “disclosure, in terms of the Protected Disclosures Act” had been made to it, which revealed exorbitant amounts of money being spent by the SABC despite the public broadcaster being in a financial crisis.<\/p>\n
Some of the claims contained in the union’s “revelation” of misconduct are:<\/p>\n
— R220-million was paid to consultants — an alleged 71 percent increase from the previous year;<\/p>\n
— R163-million was paid to management consultants;<\/p>\n
— a 230.19 percent salary increase went to the acting group chief executive; and<\/p>\n
— salary increases ranged from 30 to 59 percent for other executives.<\/p>\n
According to the union, Strini Naicker, acting chief executive of sales and marketing, allegedly ran up a large bill on MP3 players and expensive liquor “on an ongoing basis”.<\/p>\n
The SABC refuted these allegations , saying it found “reckless, irresponsible, personal and insulting”, the “detailing of any individual’s expenses while involved in the carrying out of his\/her duties”. <\/p>\n
“The union makes various claims that are false, misleading, derogatory and personal,” it said .<\/p>\n
Another union, the Communication Workers’ Union claimed victory yesterday after Naicker and Lene Chamberlain, the department’s human resources manager, were placed on special leave.<\/p>\n
But SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago dismissed the CWU’s claims that it had played a part in the suspensions.<\/p>\n
He said concerned staff members, and not the union, made the allegations that sparked the action .<\/p>\n
“The CWU jumped on the bandwagon. The acting group chief executive put two employees on special leave because the allegations agains them are serious,” he said.<\/p>\n
CWU spokesman Vulture Ntuluki said: “The broadcaster is in trouble and our members who work there are worried.” He said a dossier of further allegations against the SABC would be handed to the ministry of communications on Monday.<\/p>\n
In a statement released by the CWU yesterday, it called for a full investigation of the SABC. <\/p>\n
The statement said the union had called for an urgent meeting with the deputy minister of communications, Roy Padayachie, yesterday afternoon. The CWU’s aim was to repeat its demand for an independent forensic audit.<\/p>\n