SABC fights back

The SABC is unhappy that leaks have revealed some of what goes on behind closed doors at the broadcaster. Many of the alleged leaks paint an unflattering picture of the SABC.

For more:

• The Media Online: The SABC strikes back... According to Glenda Nevill, writing in The Media Online, "the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has launched an investigation into leaks of 'important and confidential information' to media and opposition political parties emanating from within the broadcaster. It also slammed the Democratic Alliance for 'blatant condonation of criminality' for encouraging the leaking of sensitive documents."

• BD Live: Morality movement welcomes disgraced Tshabalala's exit... Disgraced former chair of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Ellen Tshabalala has resigned from the board of the Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM), after being found to have lied about her academic qualifications.

  The movement confirmed yesterday that Tshabalala had resigned last month, although it is yet to receive her formal letter.

  This might signal the end of her career serving on high-profile boards.

  Tshabalala resigned from the SABC board last month following the outcome of an inquiry by Parliament's communications portfolio committee, which found that she had misrepresented her qualifications.

  Before being appointed to the SABC board, Tshabalala claimed in her CV that she had a BCom degree and a postgraduate diploma in labour relations from Unisa.

  Tshabalala was also excluded from the new Transnet board, which was announced by Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe last month.

  She was left out of President Jacob Zuma's latest Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Advisory Council, which was announced in October last year. Tshabalala served on the inaugural council from 2009.

  MRM board member and chief operating officer Seth Mazibuko said Tshabalala had informed the movement of her resignation by telephone last month.

  It "welcomed her resignation... because it is an issue of ethics".

  "We had said previously that what was happening at the SABC and in Parliament speaks to issues of ethics," Mazibuko said.

  The Democratic Alliance (DA) had been pushing for Tshabalala to step down from the various board positions she held following the outcome of the Parliamentary inquiry.

  Last month, DA MP and communications spokesman Gavin Davis wrote to MRM chairman Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa, asking that he take steps to remove Tshabalala from the board.

  Tshabalala did not respond to a request for comment.

  Very Hlaudi weather alleged at SABC

  Meanwhile, the DA claimed yesterday that evidence was growing of a "climate of paranoia, fear and intimidation" at the SABC under acting CEO Hlaudi Motsoeneng. "When the DA revealed in November that former chairwoman Tshabalala had extended Motsoeneng's power to act as CEO, Motsoeneng summoned staff members to a meeting.

  "The DA is reliably informed that Motsoeneng accused staff members of leaking documents, before threatening that the culprits would be found and immediately dismissed," Davis said.

  He said that following the meeting, the SABC's forensic unit began an investigation, in which staff laptops were seized in an attempt to find evidence of the 'leak'.

  SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said that like any other organisation, the public broadcaster did not condone confidential or important information being leaked by its staff members. Staff members involved in the leaking of information would be disciplined, he said.

  Source: Business Day, via I-Net Bridge