Action on Aguma lauded

Political parties and parliament's standing committee on public accounts have welcomed the suspension of SABC acting chief financial officer James Aguma.

Aguma was suspended on Friday , but the SABC would not reveal further details "due to internal processes".

SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said Tseliso Ralitabo, the media, technology and infrastructure executive, would replace Aguma.

His suspension came after calls by Scopa last week for his removal because of his role in the messy state of affairs at the broadcaster.

Willy Madisha, COPE's deputy president and member of the communications committee in parliament, welcomed the suspension.

"From my interactions with the SABC, it is evident Aguma has been complicit in the maladministration, corruption, destabilisation and abuse of the SABC for narrow political ends committed with impunity over many years," said Madisha.

The EFF cautioned the SABC against being run by people connected to former chief operations officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

"To rescue the SABC we need men and women of integrity who are [able] to reverse the mess caused by Hlaudi and his cabal. It is commendable that the SABC interim board has taken this decision," said EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.

"We call for the process of his firing to be escalated together with his master, Motsoeneng. The two caused the financial crisis that has compromised the SABC."

The ANC said Aguma's suspension came after its recommendation, pending the interim board's forensic investigation into irregularities at the broadcaster.

The chairman of Scopa, Mnyamezeli Booi, said the committee was optimistic that efforts by the interim board to restore public confidence in the broadcaster would be successful.

The DA's spokesman on communications, Phumzile van Damme, said Aguma should face a forensic investigation and a disciplinary inquiry.

Aguma, a chartered accountant, came under fire for wanting to pay Motsoeneng for negotiating a multimillion-rand deal with MultiChoice.

Aguma has also been criticised for allegedly bypassing tender procedures by paying auditing firm PwC R10-million to probe a R370-million tax liability flagged by the auditor-general - a job that should have been done by the SABC's accountants. The payment to PwC, where Aguma previously worked, ballooned from R185000 to R10-million.

Aguma was also formerly in charge of strategy and audit matters at SABC.