New evidence cements OUTA's criminal charges against SABC leadership

OUTA's charges, which were filed at the Brixton Police Station on Thursday 15th December included fraud, racketeering, corruption and abuse of power for a number of matters, one of them being procurement irregularities and a contract with Vision View Production CC, pertaining to the upgrading of two television studios.

“The information we received prior to our charges laid last week, was substantive and sufficient for the case to be opened. However, today’s input from the whistle-blower - who shared his input with many organisations - provides additional information which we will use to supplement last week’s charges. We will ensure that Mr Hlaudi Motsoeneng and others responsible will be held accountable for the contract in favour of Vision View Productions, as this was a gross contravention of due process and done without the requisite authorisation,” says Lerissa Govender, internal legal counsel at the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA).

OUTA’s charges also include claims against Mr Motsoeneng’s and others in the irrational conduct related to the MultiChoice deal, which was in contravention of due process and enabled the approval of an R11,5 million bonus to be paid to Mr Motsoeneng.

“It is clear to OUTA that many board supporters were aware that the contract was awarded in violation of the SABC’s procurement policies and the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), and that some board supporters actively conspired to ensure that the contract was awarded to Vision View. Indeed, Head of Sport, Bessie Tugwana wrote to Vision View informing them that they had been awarded the contract and that an agreement had been drafted prior to the board even having resolved to award this contract.”

OUTA studied all the new information, including a damning Enterprise Risk Management and Governance Report, which noted the many irregularities of the contract and high likelihood of fraud and corruption. “It seems that this report never found its way to the board, and there is now no doubt in our minds that the rot within the SABC was not caused by Motsoeneng alone. The now defunct board and certain supporters of the executive appear to be intimately involved.”

“OUTA maintains that the Minister of Communication cannot escape her accountability in the SABC debacle. She evaded her responsibilities as shareholder representative, and as such should also be held accountable for these transgressions,” says Wayne Duvenage, chairman of OUTA.

OUTA also calls on the SABC portfolio committee in parliament to urgently convene to appoint an interim board for the public broadcaster. “Last week’s hearings proved that Hlaudi Motsoeneng purged the SABC of many competent people whose only wrongdoing was the fact that they opposed the unlawful conduct of Motsoeneng and his co-perpetrators.”

“We therefore urge the committee to reinstate these loyal, competent former staff supporters who share a wealth of institutional knowledge and experience when it comes to the SABC. Some of them, like former risk and governance group executive Itani Tseisi and former acting CFO and CEO Tiaan Olivier should be included on an interim board. Others who were forced to leave and who can play a valuable role in saving the SABC, include Lorraine Francis (chief audit executive), Mandiwe Nkosi (manager for employee relations) Petra Campher (chief financial controller) as well as Tumiso Radebe and Irene Marutla (general manager: procurement).”