The parliamentary inquiry into the affairs of the embattled South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is set to continue on Friday morning with the testimony of two former board chairpersons.
Ellen Tshabalala and Ben Ngubane – two former board chairpersons several witnesses had linked to the “meteoric rise” of controversial SABC executive Hlaudi Motsoeneng from being a producer of a Free State current affairs show to chief operating officer of the public broadcaster – are expected to receive a grilling from MPs.
According to claims by several witnesses, Ngubane, who chaired the SABC board from December 2009 until his resignation in March 2013, had excused the presence of Motsoeneng at board meetings, even though at the time, he was not an executive board member.
Tshabalala, other former board members said, had carried on this protection of Motsoeneng and presided over a meeting in July 2014 which led to his permanent appointment as COO, even though former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had found he was not suitable for the position because he had, among others, lied about his matric qualification.
Thabalala resigned as board chairwoman in December that year, after a parliamentary inquiry was instituted against her, for allegedly also lying about having a BComm degree.
The two are expected to be the last witnesses to be called before the ad hoc committee conducting the inquiry begins deliberations and drafting its report into the matter.
The committee has been given until the end of February to provide the National Assembly with a report on the SABC inquiry.
– African News Agency (ANA)
