DA says it won't allow Aguma to escape accountability for SABC’s demise

The Democratic Alliance says the resignation of the SABC’s suspended acting CEO James Aguma won’t let him off the hook while the Pan Africanist Congress says it finds his resignation “suspicious and questionable”.

The DA’s Mike Waters said the party nevertheless welcomed Aguma’s resignation.

“However‚ Aguma’s decision to resign instead of facing a disciplinary hearing does not mean he is going to be let off the hook for his part in the institutional breakdown at the SABC‚” Waters asserted.

The fact that Aguma was not completely off the hook was confirmed by SABC interim board chairperson Khanyisile Kweyama.

"We have said that we have handed over a number of matters to the SIU [and] some of them relate to some of the charges around dishonesty and possible criminal activities. The SIU (special investigating unit) will conduct the process and not ourselves‚" Kweyama said.

However‚ the internal disciplinary charges he was facing would now be dropped‚ she added.

Waters said that Aguma faced serious accusations‚ including tender irregularities and overseeing massive fruitless and wasteful expenditure‚ and reports that his resignation would result in the SABC withdrawing charges were concerning. Equally so reports that he was set for a golden handshake.

“Aguma’s convenient exit reiterates the urgent need for the Speaker of the National Assembly‚ Baleka Mbete‚ to table the report into those who lied during Parliament’s SABC Inquiry. The report‚ compiled by Parliament’s Legal Services Unit‚ identifies ‘the persons who misled the inquiry or provided false information or false testimony with the aim of criminal charges being laid’.

“Mbete has steadfastly refused to table the report‚ which she received on 5 June 2017; instead‚ she has “[written] to individuals cited on the list‚ inviting them to make submissions by the end of July on the serious allegations they face”. Aguma is no doubt named in the report and now faces a fine and/or imprisonment for violating the Powers‚ Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act‚” Waters asserted.

He added that iIt should not be forgotten that Aguma had also told the Portfolio Committee on Communications‚ as well as the Standing Committee on Public Accounts‚ that there was no financial crisis at the SABC following the release of the SABC Inquiry report‚ “another patent lie”.

“The DA will not allow Aguma to escape accountability for the key role he played in the SABC’s demise‚” Waters stated.

The PAC’s Kenneth Mokgatlhe said it had been found that Aguma had lied under oath before the parliamentary committee‚ lading that lying under oath on its own was a crime that was punishable.

He added that it clear that Aguma and former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng “were in a campaign to bring down the public broadcaster”.

“The sudden resignation of Aguma is suspicious and questionable. The timing factor comes to mind as we know that he was supposed to go and defend his wrongdoings at the disciplinary hearing. It is clear that his friends and lawyer advised him to resign so that some of their hidden ill acts are not discovered‚” Mokgatlhe charged.

“James Aguma‚ [communications minister] Faith Muthambi‚ Hlaudi Motsoeneng should pay for bringing the broadcaster into disrepute‚” he added.

Congress of the People also welcomed Aguma’s resignation‚ saying it was “long overdue and he is good riddance”.

“James Aguma was clearly incompetent an displayed serious unprofessional conduct. Together with the equally misplaced Hlaudi Motsoeneng‚ they were the imposition of the corrupt ruling elite who almost destroyed the public broadcaster.

“While the cleansing process at the SABC has resulted in his removal‚ we believe that he cannot be allowed to just walk away. He must be held accountable for the losses incurred by his deliberate reckless and unethical conduct. The SABC must quantify the losses and institute financial claims against James Aguma in his personal capacity.

“The SABC must also consider criminally charging him for his role in the fraud and corruption which he enabled to flourish under his watch‚” COPE said.

- TimesLIVE