South Africa's communications minister Yunus Carrim (left).
South African communications minister Yunus Carrim has seen the public protector’s provisional report into alleged maladministration at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), but says he will not comment as yet and that the final recommendations will be for the the public broadcaster to act upon.
“Yes, I did receive the report, obviously. It was given as a courtesy to the Department of Communications,” the South African Press Association (SAPA) reports Carrim as telling the Cape Town Press Club.
“As I understand it, there’s nothing for a minister to do at this stage because each of the parties referred to has to be given seven days [to respond].”
Public protector Thuli Madonsela is expected to receive feedback by Friday, and Carrim said he would not comment until the final report is released.
The City Press newspaper reported over the weekend the provisional report highlights abuse of power and maladministration by senior figures within the SABC board members, and makes recommendations with regard to SABC acting chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng, group chief executive officer (CEO) Lulama Mokhobo, former board chair Ben Ngubane and former communications minister Dina Pule.
Motsoeneng has been at the centre of controversy all year, with it announced in February he had been “released of his duties” and replaced by Mike Siluma, with the Communication Workers Union (CWU) saying he was illegally removed from his post. He was subsequently reinstated, and has since called for 70 per cent of news broadcast in the corporation’s bulletins to be positive, drawing much criticism.
Carrim said if any allegations were made against officials in his department in the final report, he would consult with his legal team over the DoC’s response.
“In respect of my predecessor, I am not a judge but part of the same collective executive,” he said, adding he was not a “knight in shining armour”.
