DA welcomes summons against Maguvhe

08 December 2016 - 10:47 By Tmg Digital
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The Democratic Alliance has welcomed the unanimous decision by Parliament’s ad hoc committee that SABC board chairman Mbulaheni Maguvhe should be issued with a legally binding summons to appear before the committee to account for the apparent collapse of good governance at the public broadcaster.

Maguvhe was scheduled to appear before the SABC parliamentary inquiry ad hoc committee on Thursday afternoon‚ but was a no-show.

He gave no official notice to the committee explaining his absence.

DA spokesperson on communications Phumzile Van Damme said Maguvhe’s wanton disregard for Parliament could not be allowed to stand.

“The DA reminds Maguvhe that in terms of Section 17 of the Privileges and Immunities Act‚ any person who has been duly summonsed to a committee of Parliament and without sufficient cause fails to attend‚ commits an offence and is liable to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months or to both the fine and the imprisonment.

“Maguvhe has tried everything to halt the proceedings of the committee. On 2 December his application for an interdict to stop proceedings of the ad hoc committee failed‚ with costs being awarded against him. Yesterday‚ he tried to halt proceedings by stating that he had applied for leave to appeal against the judgment against him‚” Van Damme said.

She added that the work of the committee must be allowed to continue and that those called to testify must do so in the interest of restoring the integrity and stability of the national broadcaster.

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