Opposition MPs blame ANC for SABC's financial woes
Members of the various opposition parties in Parliament have blamed the African National Congress (ANC) for the financial crisis and retrenchments at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
MPs debated the looming retrenchments and financial crisis at the public broadcaster on Tuesday.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), which called for the debate, wants Parliament to help come up with solutions to assist the SABC.
The party's Zandile Majola called for an independent consultant to restructure the public broadcaster.
"Parliament cannot tell the SABC to halt retrenchments, it simply doesn't have that power. The process the SABC is going through is informed by the Labour Act, which at no stage requires parliamentary approval. Similarly, the minister of communications doesn't have such power. I don't know how many times Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams must be told she cannot interfere in the SABC's business," said the DA's Phumzile van Damme.
She said SABC staff must trust in the legal process and not allow the ANC government to help them.
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Van Damme said Treasury will need R700 million to bail out the SABC – money the country does not have.
The EFF's Vuyani Pambo agreed with her.
"The financial problems of the SABC must be placed at the doorstep of the ANC government, which is adamant on austerity measures that are aimed at cutting the wage bill across government departments and this department has not been spared."
Pambo believes the SABC's problems will not be solved by the ANC.
The ANC's Boyce Maneli, who is also the chairperson of the communications committee, said the ANC agreed with Ndabani-Abrahams that retrenchments should be a last resort.
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