By Thokozani Mtshali, Political Bureau
The SABC paid R123 000 for its CEO, Dali Mpofu, to be featured on the front cover of the glossy Leadership magazine in June this year.
This is according to a response by Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri to a written parliamentary question from the Democratic Alliance.
The DA asked her whether there were any sound reasons to justify the use of public funds for the profiling and marketing of an individual.
Matsepe-Casaburri replied that "this is normal in organisational communication and does not amount to personal publicity".
The minister admitted that the SABC paid R123 000 to the business magazine, and that the money came out of the corporation's marketing and public affairs division as well as the international and regulatory affairs budgets.
Continues Below ↓
Matsepe-Casaburri said that Phumelele Ntombela-Nzimande, the SABC's group executive: public, international and regulatory affairs, had authorised the expenditure.
The magazine's editorial position apparently requires those featured on its cover page to pay, and the amount varies depending on the size and type of company.
The magazine's editor, John Doolan, could not be reached for comment.
The June edition of the magazine led with an article written by Doolan, which began by retracing Mpofu's footsteps in relation to his family, educational and professional background.
According to the minister, this "provided the SABC with an opportunity to communicate its new corporate strategy of 'total citizen empowerment' and to focus on the new vision the organisation has recently adopted".
"The article was not personal publicity for Mpofu," she said.
"The only question that focuses on him as an individual was the first question in the article, and presumably it was done to give readers who might not be familiar with Mpofu an opportunity to know the person who is at the helm of an important public institution such as the SABC."
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka's spokesperson, Thabang Chiloane, said there had been several magazines, including Leadership, that requested payment to feature her on their front cover.
Continues...
|
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Digg
Delicious
Newsvine
Facebook
muti
Twitter
