Parliament – MPs on Thursday started the arduous task of clause by clause deliberations on a working document which was drafted following their inquiry in to the affairs of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
The document, which is just over 37 pages long, was leaked on Tuesday night after being distributed to MPs sitting on the committee.
The MPs had to take the document to their respective caucuses to bring their parties' position to the committee.
On Thursday, committee chairman Vincent Smith insisted the document had no legal standing as MPs had not deliberated on it and made the needed amendments.
Recommendations included in the document include that a new interim board immediately undertake a probe into irregular, wasteful, and fruitless expenditure totalling R5.1 billion at the SABC over the past few years.
It also criticised the conduct of Communications Minister Faith Muthambi, which according to the document had seen “many witnesses” point out that she had applied undue pressure on one of the former boards to appoint the ever controversial Hlaudi Motsoeneng to the position of chief operating officer despite him not having adequate qualifications and the Public Protector having made negative findings against him.
The document suggested that further clarity was needed on which legislation took precedence when it came to the appointment and dismissal of board members.
Muthambi has often asserted the supremacy of the Companies Act over the Public Broadcasting Act, which many MPs and Parliament’s own legal advisors have challenged.
The document further recommends that those who were guilty of perjury should be sanctioned, after witnesses gave contradictory testimony before the inquiry.
Last week, former board chairman Ben Ngubane denied any political interference, while his successor Ellen Tshabalala said there was “gross political interference” in the affairs of the board.
MPs deliberations, set down for Thursday and Friday, are set to culminate in them compiling a draft report by January 24, which would be sent to all interested parties before the report is finalised by February 15.