‘All of us to blame for SABC collapse,’ Ndabeni-Abrahams tells MPs

Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has told Members of Parliament (MPs) that they should all take responsibility for what has become of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).

MPs debated the looming retrenchments and cash crisis at the public broadcaster on Tuesday, 1 December 2020.

“The SABC was also embroiled in state capture … All of us here should take the blame because it happened under our watch,” Ndabeni-Abrahams said.

She said their oversight measures were not adequately stringent but also emphasised that the problems at the SABC were largely market-related.

“It is, however, the market conditions that have undergone unprecedented evolution which placed the SABC in the current precarious position,”

Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams

The broadcaster had intiated retrenchment proceedings which would see 400 staffers lose their jobs – a move largely attributed to its mounting financial troubles. The SABC has already extended the suspension of the Section 189 process, to the end of December 2020, to enable additional consultations.

Angry employees refused to accept the retrenchments and staged a picket in November, demanding management to resign. The staffers say they were not properly consulted and that they were bearing the brunt of widespread corruption that has plagued the SABC.

Van-Damme: Ndabeni-Abrahams cannot interfere in SABC’s affairs

Ndabeni-Abrahams has long said she was against the idea of shedding jobs and called on the SABC board to find other solutions.

In light of this, Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Phumzile Van Damme further took aim at Ndabeni-Abrahams and by extension, the African National Congress (ANC), for not being as vocal against retrenchments when other media houses were cutting staff.

“Where were you for the for the wave of retrenchments at media houses across the country? Where were you for Primedia staff? Were you there for the staff at KFM, Cape Talk, and EWN? Where were you for MultiChoice staff? Where were you for Telkom staff?,” Van Damme said.

She further reiterated that the minister cannot interfere in the SABC’s affairs.

“The process the SABC is going through is informed by the Labour Act, which at no stage requires parliamentary approval. Similarly, the minister of communications doesn’t have such power. I don’t know how many times Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams must be told she cannot interfere in the SABC’s business,”

Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Phumzile Van Damme

The cash-strapped broadcaster has been facing serious financial troubles, partly attributed to years of mismanagement, corruption and its salary bill. It was revealed that the SABC spent more than R2.35 billion paying the salaries of 2 979 employees at an average salary of R791 000 per person during the 2019/20 financial year.