The SABC and the SABC board is getting blasted in parliament for its failure to provide detailed reports and with massive criticism levelled against South Africa's beleaguered and struggling public broadcaster failing to do enough to address the several crises and serious issues which keep plaguing the SABC and which have been identified in report after report after report.
"How will you stop the rot? The SABC must show its serious about stopping the rot," parliament's portfolio committee on communications told the SABC board appearing in parliament today. "We have to see serious urgency in these matters."
Members of the portfolio committee blasted the SABC board for what it called yet another inadequate report on how the SABC is addressing the myriad of problems besieging the broadcaster including serious irregularities by previous SABC board members and senior managers.
"It's impossible to see what progress has really been made," said the committee. "The lack of detail [in the latest report] is a major hindrance."
"Whatever processes are in place are not working," members of the portfolio committee told the SABC. "The rot is endemic in the SABC and there needs to be stronger action taken to show that you're serious."
"The SABC isn't turning around. You presented a turnaround plan but things are not turning around. You can't keep telling us the same story. In 2010 the SABC chairperson kept telling us the SABC is in a mess. You need to indicate to us there is progress. We want some movement, we want some progress."
"SABC management puts together a report such as this, given to the SABC board who them modifies it. My question is, is this the report which was tabled to the SABC board members? Can you as SABC board members not anticipate that there are a lot of questions here which the SABC simply don't answer. To come to parliament to present a report such as this must be classified as fruitless and wasteful expenditure for SABC board members to come to parliament to come and present a report such as this," said another member.
