SABC does not vet procurement officials

Group executives of the SABC on Wednesday walked out a little worse for wear after the Standing Committee of Public Acounts (Scopa) briefing on the state broadcaster's annual report.

One MP in particular‚ the ANC's Mnyamezeli Booi‚ laid into Acting CEO James Aguma for a section of the report that detailed a skills programme for further training for Supply Chain Management employees.

“You are saying that you are trying to 'upskill' people to improve on procurement but we see from our own research where issues of HR (concern) have been opened up by our researchers‚” Booi said.

“There hasn't been good assessment of the people who you are employing. Some of them have criminal records‚ and some don't have certificates‚” he continued.

“Now‚ who are you really training? And who are we talking to? Who are these 3‚000 and something people we are dealing with?” Booi asked.

• From Hlaudi's salary to criminal records: 5 things you need to know about the SABC annual reportThe SABC dropped a bombshell late last night with its 2015/2016 annual report‚ and it's a big deal. 

Booi said some of the individuals he was referring to did not have verified citizenship‚ and emphasised the problem surrounding the appropriate vetting of staff was a contributing factor to the R5.1-billion of irregular and wasteful expenditure the SABC incurred.

He then warned Aguma that Scopa would not be intimidated.

“You have got a record in the SABC‚ that when you are being interrogated‚ you threaten people. When people talk about your institution‚ they disappear.

“We are not going to be threatened‚ and we will get to the bottom of this R5.1-billion. That is corruption‚ and we are going to deal with it.”

• Scopa proposes Hawks probe SABC's irregular R5.1bnThe Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) has put forward a proposal to SABC group executives that the Hawks launch a forensic investigation into the affairs of the beleaguered state broadcaster. 

In response‚ Aguma said: “The issue of 'up-skilling' is with members of the Supply Chain Management team that we have.”

“One of the weaknesses that we picked up that they have not even been vetted as required by the Public Financial Management Act. We as the SABC have tried to discuss the vetting issue and it's a matter that is being raised by the unions that if someone is already employed how would you go about vetting? But I agree with you that vetting has not been done and that is one area of concern‚” Aguma said.

“Historically at the SABC‚ supply chain tended to be a 'dumping ground' for officials‚ so you would find PA's and all sorts there‚” he continued.

He was interrupted at this point by Scopa chair Themba Ngodi‚ who said that it could not be that the supply chain management system was "a dumping ground".

• R5.1bn irregular SABC expenditure 'taken seriously' – acting CEO AgumaActing SABC CEO James Aguma has told parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts that the issue of R5.1-billion in irregular expenditure incurred by the state broadcaster was being taken “extremely seriously”. 

Booi however interjected‚ saying that at least Aguma was expressing an honest point of view as supply chain management was a large part of the problem at the SABC. The SABC group filed a total loss of R411.6 million at the end of March 2016‚ compared to a loss of R131 million for the same period the previous year‚ with R3.2-billion spent on salaries from R7.9-billion revenue.

At a later stage in the briefing‚ Booi accused Aguma of lying.

“You are misleading us‚ you are lying to us. You and I and your team here‚ we are not done‚” he said.

Aguma has asked the committee for a deadline of May 31 for internal investigations to be finalised.

Ngodi closed the briefing by saying he sincerely wanted to see the SABC in a better position.

“I am not happy with what you did‚ to give us information at the 11th hour‚” he said‚ referring to the late release of the annual report on Tuesday night.

“That should never ever happen again.”