Sunday, June 9, 2019

There's a fightback from criminals against efforts to get rid of fraud and corruption at the SABC, says board chairman Bongumusa Makhathini; 'this place has been poorly run'.

There is a fightback from criminals against efforts to clean up the struggling SABC and getting rid of fraud and corruption within the South African public broadcaster, said Bongumusa Makhathini, SABC board chairperson, who on Saturday said that "this place has been poorly run".

Bongumusa Makhathini spoke on Saturday on SABC News following the shocking assassination attempt on Friday night on Thami Zikode, the SABC's chief audit executive who was shot at by four assailants in a drive-by vehicle after he was followed home.

The police have arrested a 32-year old man who was shot by Thami Zikode, and also recovered bullets as well as a gun and the abandoned drive-by car in South Gate.

The suspect will appear in court on Monday.

The SABC said it will be providing additional security and protection for Thami Zikode. "We will make sure that he's safe," said Bongumusa Makhathini.

Regarding the effort to get rid of fraud and corruption within the embattled SABC Bongumusa Makhathini said "certainly there is a fightback".

"There are people who we are trying to make sure that we hold them accountable for what they may have done wrong. It is clear that there are people who are really fighting back the effort of trying to clean up this place."

"At the end of the day, no amount of intimidation will stop us from doing what is right. As the SABC board we are fully behind our executives to do what is right to bring order in this place."

"It's really shocking and really painful what has happened but we thank God that Thami Zikode is safe and that he managed to defend himself and is unharmed," said Bongumusa Makhathini.

About 180 forensic reports have been produced so far in the clean-up process underway inside the SABC with Bongumusa saying "we have to hold people accountable, we have to drive consequence management, and Thami Zikode is at the helm of driving that clean-up".

"There are about 5 reports that inform a lot of the actions that the SABC is busy with. There is a report from the Public Protector that came up with a number of recommendations and as the SABC we have to make sure that we implement those recommendations."

"The the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has done a number of investigations. Then there's the Auditor-General's (AG) report which also found a number of irregular expenditure and a lot of things that have gone wrong."

"There was a parliamentary report also that came up with a number of other things that we need to implement and then there's also the SABC's own internal forensic investigations which produced around 180 reports and all of those talk about people who did certain things wrong and we are expected to hold those people accountable."

About the SABC, Bongumusa Makhathini said that "This place has been poorly run. People have been doing things in the manner that they want, they have stolen money, they have compromised our policies and have contravened our policies and this is a result of that."

"As we're driving this campaign and doing what is required of course other people are going to feel uncomfortable. As the SABC board we have to support the executive and be fully behind what they are doing."

"Anybody who has done something wrong will be held to account," said Bongumusa Makhathini.


ALSO READ: Police arrest a suspect, recovers a gun, bullets and the abandoned assassination vehicle after drive-by murder attempt on SABC's chief audit boss Thami Zikode.
ALSO READ: SABC's chief audit boss, Thami Zikode, shoots back and survives a shocking assassination attempt on Friday night after he's followed home by attackers.