SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng admits in parliament: 'We are still not doing well when it comes to African languages - including Afrikaans'.

The SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng told parliament on Tuesday that the SABC is not doing well when it comes to African languages, including Afrikaans, and that the public broadcaster should be doing more local content in other languages.

"Even at the SABC if you look now, I think we are still not doing well when it comes to African languages - including Afrikaans in this case."

"When you look, the majority of our content on the platform is English," the SABC's famously matricless chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng told parliament's portfolio committee on communications.

"The way we treat our own African languages when it comes to news, is different the way we treat other languages. So those are the issues that we are dealing with within the organisation."

In October 2015 the SABC finally dropped all other languages besides English and repeats of all of its news bulletins in other languages from its SABC News (DStv 404) channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, turning its news channel into an English language only channel.

The SABC dumped news in other languages from its news channel despite announcing at the launch of the channel that its "unique selling point is SABC News Channel's multilingual programming" and promising that SABC News will deliver news "to audiences in all 11 South African official languages".

"We are also assisting the provinces to come with, to produce local content in their own languages," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng in his purple suit in parliament basks in glowing praise from other SABC executives and the SABC board.

Parliament on Tuesday felt like the old, aristocratic French court of yore and the excessive fawning one sees during a North Korean inspection tour, when SABC executive after SABC executive lavished glowing praise, in front of him, on their magnificent SABC boss, Hlaudi Motsoeneng,

The SABC's famously matricless chief operating officer (COO), dressed in his often-seen royal purple suit, was praised in parliament by his fellow SABC executives for reducing costs, building "strategic partnerships", his wonderful sense of fashion and even just his personality.

"Thanks to Hlaudi, [the SABC] was able to reduce the costs by about $2 million [for sports rights], said James Aguma, SABC chief financial officer (CFO).

"In this area of sports rights it is the individuals who negotiate for these rights, that determine whether you're going to make a saving or not. We battled for some time to negotiate but however in this area it's a personality issue".

"We've asked Treasury to give us funds [to cover local elections], we've not got them. Luckily the COO has managed to get us about R15 million from strategic partnerships," said James Aguma.

SABC board member Dr. Aaron Tshidzumba, said "we had officials talking about the skill of our COO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng. He comes in handy on his negotiation skills."

"Last year we were left with two days to be closed out on the CAF [soccer broadcasting] deal because the private industry was bidding higher. He was on suspension ["voluntary leave"] at that time. When he came back, within two days, he even got less $2 million, which is R32 million [to close the deal]," said Dr. Aaron Tshidzumba.

The SABC's head of news Jimi Matthews, and current acting SABC CEO, likewise fawned over Hlaudi Motsoeneng, even complementing him in parliament on his fashion sense.

"It has to do with personality. It has to do with determination. Sometimes I think it has to do with the way you dress," he said, as Hlaudi Motsoeneng laughed with appreciation.

"But it has to do a lot with personality, and I think that's the one thing that has impressed us," said Jimi Matthews.

"So when different executives or staff members at the SABC talk about the persuasive qualities of Hlaudi Motsoeneng it's not a thumb-suck or far-fetched. We have a very good working relationship with the trade unions for instance for the same reason," said Jimi Matthews.

SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng warns SABC journalists they will be fired if they 'analyse' the news; told to 'leave politics to politicians'.

The SABC's famously matricless boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng has a very stern warning for SABC journalists: he will fire them if they dare to analyse the news or politics instead of just reporting facts.

"At SABC we have many good journalists within the organisation. But we also have those journalists who follow print media," Hlaudi Motsoeneng told parliament's portfolio committee on communications on Tuesday just after he went on a business trip to India.

"Because some of them, we said: 'When you're a journalist. You report the facts. You don't give your own views about whoever'. And that I'm not going to compromise as management within the organisation. We will deal with any individual, any journalists."

"Sometimes they go as analysts themselves. Analysts analysing individuals. We are saying, 'No, don't do that'. Report the facts. There are those people who analyse. Leave politics to politicians. You can't come in and other people use SABC employees to achieve whatever they want to achieve."

Hlaudi Motsoeneng told parliamentarians that the ANC will get more proportional coverage and more air-time on SABC News because it is the majority party in South Africa.

"The majority party will have more time; more cake to eat, because they represent people of South Africa."

"But also you have DA, you have EFF. Because they have certain portion of people that they represent. So we will use that to make sure that there is fairness in reporting. But we are going to dismiss people if they don't adhere to the policy of the SABC."

"We need to talk about the good. You know. We are not apologetic about the good about the country. The problem we are facing is this negativity among our own people - whether they are journalists, whether ... For them to report, you need to report about bad stories," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

"I don't believe South Africa is all about bad. But also I need to say to people: You know people who don't go to this other countries. Poverty is all over. It's not [just] in South Africa. You go to certain countries you will be shock (sic)."

"Actually we are a better country. Those are the issues that we need to report about. But because sometimes people they don't even go to this other countries, they think that hey, if you talk about America, if you talk about India, they are better than South Africa."

"But the day you go there. The day you went there, you realise that South Africa is better," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

OLD RECORD. The SABC again promises parliament that it WILL be paying 'royalties' to local artists; the problem is - it never actually STARTS.

Sounding like an old record the SABC on Tuesday again told parliament that it will start paying "royalties" to South African artists - yet again making the same future promises it's said over and over and over for years now.

On Tuesday in parliament, the SABC's chief financial officer (CFO) James Aguma told the portfolio committee on communications that "the SABC wants to announce that in the broadcast cost we've also provided for the payments of royalties to artists".

"We have taken a decision that we shall be settling these from 2006. So, we will be paying these and we have provided for that," said James Aguma.

He also told parliament that the SABC is "putting a cap on staff numbers".

Ironically the SABC was ordered in 2011 to reduce the SABC staff number - and promised to do so in order to get a R1.2 billion government-guaranteed loan from Nedbank to save it from financial collapse.

The SABC never complied with that personnel reduction as part of the loan obligation.

"We're only recruiting those that are directly influencing broadcasting," said James Aguma.

He told parliament the SABC plans to close 2017 with R900 million in cash.

He said the SABC plans to close the 2017/2018 financial year with R895 million.

James Aguma says the SABC intends to increase its commissioning spend in local programming content, as well as broadcasting infrastructure.

SABC refuses to be accountable to parliament as to where the suspended SABC CEO Frans Matlala is, and what is going on with its CEO investigation and disciplinary process.

The SABC refused to tell parliamentarians on Tuesday what the exact situation around the public broadcaster's abruptly and still suspended CEO Frans Matlala is and why he has been suspended.

The SABC used the fake-out American legal verbage that the matter is "sub judice".

SABC board member Dr. Aaron Tshidzumba - who should know better since he's a broadcast lecturer - told parliament's portfolio committee on communications on Tuesday that he can't answer a question about the suspended SABC CEO Frans Matlala and his disciplinary process and hearing because its "sub judice".

"Sub judice" is used in (1) American law when public information about a case (2) could possibly influence a jury before they've reached a decision on the evidence presented in court only.

Lo and behold, South Africa doesn't have a jury system we have magistrates and judges who are learned, and there is nobody who is going to be influenced by hearing what they "shouldn't" - least of all parliamentarians.

The Frans Matlala suspension case and disciplinary process is also not, as far as the public knows, a legal case before any court.

Frans Matlala became SABC CEO in July 2015; then abruptly suspended barely 4 months later in November last year, pending an "investigation".

Keep in mind that the SABC is a public broadcaster, for the public, that the public pay SABC TV licence fees towards, who are being kept in the dark - deliberately - as to where the appointed SABC CEO is, why exactly he has been suspended, and what is happening with him and the case.

"The issue of the CEO; it's still sub judice. The charges are misconduct from the SABC board level," Dr. Aaron Tshidzumba told parliament in response to a question.

SHOCKER! Minister of communications Faith Muthambi tells parliament she wants the SABC's commercial strategy plans to be KEPT SECRET.

Although the SABC is a public broadcaster, the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, told parliament on Tuesday that she agrees with an earlier suggestion of the SABC to keep the South African Broadcasting Corporation's commercial strategy plan and its commercial financial record secret.

The SABC, struggling with years of governance and management issues, no longer wants to divulge its commercial strategic plans as the country's public broadcaster publicly, out of fear that rivals like MultiChoice's DStv, StarSat, pay-TV broadcaster M-Net, the commercial free-to-air broadcaster e.tv and others, get insight into its commercial information, strategies and plans.

Faith Muthambi agrees and asked parliament's portfolio committee on communications on Tuesday for "a special arrangement" in future around the SABC presenting and reporting its commercial strategies and commercial plan and reports so that the public broadcaster's commercial plans can remain confidential.

"When you read sections 91 A to B of the Broadcasting Act, it correctly defines that SABC consists of two separate divisions - a public services division, and a commercial services division," Faith Muthambi told parliament.

"In addition, section 2 of the Act stipulate that the public and commercial services division must be separately administered, and that a separate set of  financial records and accounts are to be kept in respect of each division."

"When it comes to the tabling of separate annual financial statements in compliance with the Act, we take note of the SABC's request to only make public the details of the public broadcasting division, fearing that competitors often have competitive advantage in knowing what and how the commercial strategy of the SABC will unfold," Faith Muthambi told parliament.

She admitted that "it will be extremely difficult to achieve what it [SABC] advocates for."

"We do not want to sound as thought we are going that way. Public broadcaster is reluctant to account. As this has the potential to create wrong perception about how SABC given its historical governance issues."

"However we would like to appeal to parliament that in future a special arraigment [sic] be made in the interim to accommodate the presentation of the commercial strategy of the SABC," said Faith Muthambi.  

After Faith Muthambi did her presentation, the SABC started its presentation to parliament saying, as stated by the minister it won't adhere to the obligations of the Broadcasting Act and won't present its commercial plans but only talk about its public broadcasting plans.

Communication minister Faith Muthambi tells parliament the expectation is the SABC's next financial report will be unqualified ... although the SABC said it likely won't.

The minister of communications Faith Muthambi told parliament's portfolio committee on communications on Tuesday that the expectation is that the SABC's upcoming next annual financial report will be unqualified - meaning completely above board.

It's in stark contrast however to just two months ago when the SABC's chief financial officer James Aguma sat in the same chair and told parliament regarding the SABC's next financial report that it will likely again be qualified due to certain legacy governance issues that the SABC must still sort out.

"We expect the SABC board and the management to ensure that we move from qualified audits to unqualified audit with a matter of emphasis."

"Which is matter that we need to commend the SABC, to say they have been trying to move from disclaimer. Even the number of qualifications now, they are minimal. I think the last ones were three. So, hence we expect now the oncoming audit to come with unqualified audit with matter of emphasis," Faith Muthambi told parliament.

In September 2015 the SABC received its 5th consecutive qualified audit in 5 years.

A qualified audit from the Auditor-General (AG) means that it found types of situations which are completely out line with the generally accepted accounting principles - as opposed to an unqualified audit which the SABC is supposed to be getting.

The SABC even deteriorated so far with its annual financial report in 2012/2013 that the struggling public broadcaster got a disclaimer from the Auditor-General. 

A disclaimer of opinion is the worst audit opinion from the Auditor-General and the most disturbing rating, where the auditor says an entity, like the SABC, is unable to provide sufficient supporting documents for its financial statement.

Minister of communications Faith Muthambi tells parliament 'funding of the SABC remains critical'; lack of funds negatively impacting the public broadcaster.

The minister of communications Faith Muthambi told parliament on Tuesday that "funding of the SABC remains critical", that a lack of public funding is negatively impacting South Africa's public broadcaster, and that the banning of alcohol advertising will have a massive adverse impact on the SABC's income.

"Public contributions to the revenues of the SABC still remains at less than 20%," said Faith Muthambi, who briefed parliament's portfolio committee on communications.

 The 60% funding requirement [a proposed resolution adopted by the ANC political party as its plan for the SABC] remains a distant possibility."

"This [lackof public funding] has a profound impact on the nature and extent of services provided by the SABC," said Faith Muthambi.

Faith Muthambi warned parliament that the potential legislation banning the advertising of alcohol products on television will have a massive adverse impact on the SABC's annual advertising income.

According to her research, an alcohol advertising ban in South African media would see the SABC lose 8.5% of its advertising income.

Connie Chiume let go from Quizzical Pictures' e.tv soap Rhythm City after 8 and a half years; will continue to act and focus on farming.

Actress Connie Chiume is gone from e.tv's soap Rhythm City, let go after 8 and a half years from the Quizzical Pictures Production.

As usual with South African soap opera departures, e.tv, like other broadcasters, doesn't want to specify whether the actress was fired, resigned or whether the role ended because of creative reasons.

UPDATE: She was fired, saying: "It is how the script was written and one cannot argue with the writers. It was my time to go. It is not nice."

A statement by e.tv gives the press and South Africa's TV industry no indication of why Connie Chiume is actually gone from Rhythm City.

The actress also left a while ago already ending her time on set in February already, but e.tv is only making the announcement today that the actress' last scene on-screen will be on Wednesday, 20 April.

Connie Chiume isn't retiring from acting, she just won't be acting on Rhythm City anymore.

All that's missing in the modern age of email and the loving and florally infused parting announcements between soap star and soap as yet another South African financial year came to and end and a lot of actors' contracts are not renewed, is actual scented paper.

Connie Chiume will now focus on farming and continue to act - just not on Rhythm City where she was one of the original cast members since 9 July 2007.

'This departure will allow me to pick up on things that were left undone," says Connie Chiume in a statement. "I am grateful for the time and experience with Rhythm City and e.tv. I believe I was born to be an actress, it's in my blood. Parting is such sweet sorrow, and I will miss my Rhythm City family".

"We are very sad to say goodbye to Connie who has been one of the show's cornerstone characters," says Yula Quinn, Rhythm City series producer.

"The brilliance and talent she brought to the soapie in her role as Mamokete, has been an inpiration to many. We will miss her on the Rhythm City set and on our screens."