SABC inquiry off to a rocky start

Former SABC boss Ben Ngubane Photo: Simphiwe Mbokazi

Former SABC boss Ben Ngubane Photo: Simphiwe Mbokazi

Published Jan 13, 2017

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Parliament - The hearings into the SABC got off to a rocky start when former SABC board chairman Ben Ngubane challenged the proceedings, procedure and terms of reference of the ad hoc committee.

Ngubane complained on Friday, when the hearings got underway, that he was not given time to prepare and respond to some of the allegations made against him by former SABC board members.

Ngubane told MPs that he reserved his rights to legally challenge the findings of the committee. This was based on the allegations made against him when the committee did not allow him to respond.

But committee chairman Vincent Smith shot down claims by Ngubane that he was not given an opportunity to respond to the allegations. He said his lawyers agreed on the meeting with the committee on January 10, but the committee shifted the hearing to Friday on Ngubane’s request.

Smith said this followed a letter to him, Ngubane, on December 15 to appear before the committee.

Smith also warned Ngubane that the committee was duly constituted and set up by Parliament to probe the SABC.

“The terms of reference of this committee are very clear and they were adopted by 400 members of the National Assembly,” he said.

“In trying to correct the mistakes of the current board there were matters that started prior to that,” said Smith.

This was the time when Ngubane was the chairman of the SABC board.

Political Bureau

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