DA wants Multichoice, ANN7 contracts
Amid new revelations surrounding the previously Gupta-owned network, the DA believes there should be no objection to releasing contracts if there is "nothing untoward" about the dealings between ANN7 and Multichoice.
The DA has called on Multichoice to make all its contracts with the previously Gupta-owned TV news channel ANN7 public.
The latest revelations from the so-called #GuptaLeaks shows Multichoice, the subscription service provider that owns DSTv, allegedly made a questionable payment of R25 million to ANN7.
Multichoice also reportedly almost tripled its annual payments to the network.
"If there is indeed nothing untoward about the nature of its dealings with the Gupta family, Multichoice will have no issue publishing the requested documents for public scrutiny," says the DA's Phumzile Van Damme in a statement.
Van Damme says her party will also ask the Chairperson of Parliament's Communications Committee to institute the "now overdue inquiry into state capture".
This request follows reports that former communications minister Faith Muthambi has also been implicated.
The DA wants the inquiry to be the first thing on the agenda when Parliament reconvenes next year.
"In August this year, the Portfolio Committee on Communications received a letter from (the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Lechesa) Tsenoli, requesting that the committee investigate state capture, and in particular, allegations pertaining to Muthambi," says Van Damme.
ANN7 has meanwhile been sold to former Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) CEO Mzwanele Manyi for R300 million through a vendor financing agreement.