Johannesburg: Head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) Advocate Andy Mothibi says there is a need for a focussed and pointed approach to prevent fraud and corruption at the SABC. Mothibi was briefing Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) on investigations into the public broadcaster on Wednesday. The investigations stem from at least two proclamations from 2010 and 2017.
According to South African Government News Agency, over the past few years, the public broadcaster has been rocked by scandal, including the irregular R11 million ‘success fee’ paid to then SABC Chief Operating Officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng, irregular expenditure running into billions of Rands, the controversial R2.4 million Legends Payments, and investigations into at least eight contracts, including the sale of SABC archives to MultiChoice.
Mothibi emphasized the need for a focused prevention plan to assist the corporation. He stated that discussions with the current GCEO, Nomsa Chabeli, are underway to ensure the process gains momentum. The SIU aims to see an overall prevention plan implemented to address these issues.
The head of the corruption-busting unit described the investigations into the SABC as ‘intense’, similar to the approach applied to investigations into other state organs. Mothibi highlighted that a deep dive into governance investigation and maladministration at all state institutions, particularly state-owned enterprises (SOEs), is necessary.
During the presentation, SIU Chief National Investigations Office, Zodwa Xesibe, detailed several issues uncovered at the public broadcaster. These included the bypassing of existing policies and procedures by the Board and senior managers, leading to financial woes at the SABC. There was also a general abuse of power, promoting unethical behavior and causing various problems.
Xesibe emphasized the importance of fostering a culture that encourages honest discussions about ethics and ethical challenges. She underlined the need for employees to be empowered by understanding what constitutes unethical behavior and the potential impacts on the Corporation. Protections for whistleblowers must be provided to encourage reporting and foster an ethical organization from top to bottom.
Xesibe also mentioned that changes should originate from the management team by identifying negative behaviors and substituting them with positive changes. This would allow for better ethical decisions and enforcement of policies and procedures among employees. A zero tolerance approach to abuse or non-compliance with internal controls should be prioritized to address the culture of abuse and management override in the SABC.