Parliament – The South African Communist Party (SACP) has threatened legal action against former South African Broadcasting Corporation board chairwoman, Ellen Tshabalala, after she told MPs on Friday, that the party was one of many that had exerted "gross political interference" over the affairs of the public broadcaster.
Tshabalala had singled out the SACP and told MPs inquiring into the affairs of the broadcaster she had received a call in 2013 from either the party's spokesperson or "some deputy" asking her to support then Communications Minister Yunis Carrim and agreeing with him that signals be encrypted when South Africa switched from analogue broadcasting technology to digital technologies.
She inferred SACP general secretary and cabinet minister Blade Nzimande was behind the call.
SACP spokesman Alex Mashilo challenge Tshabalala to provide proof of this so-called interference or face legal action.
"Our right in law strictly is reserved. We'll take legal action if she does not substantiate her allegations. So far she is a person that does not have any credibility," said Mashilo.
Mashilo said Tshabalala's "unfounded claims" stem from the fact that the SACP drove a campaign for her to provide proof of her academic qualifications after it came to light that she may have lied about having a BComm degree, leading to a parliamentary inquiry which found her guilty of misconduct.
University of South Africa (Unisa) officials told Parliament that their records showed Tshabalala had registered for a BComm degree and a labour relations diploma, but had failed to obtain either.
"When it turned out she did not have qualifications, the SACP took up the matter. We called on her to produce qualifications and resign," said Mashilo.
"Another thing is that the SACP general secretary Blade and minister of higher education Blade Nzimande in his capacity as minister was driving a government programme against people making claims of qualifications they did not have."