Posts for September 2019
3 September 2019
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) CEO Mzwamadoda Mxakwe says the public broadcaster has met all the pre-conditions for a government bailout, but to date has not received it. A bailout is the only way that the SABC – currently sitting on a debt of R1.8-billion – will be able to rise to the surface again. He testified on Tuesday before the commission of inquiry into state capture.
SABC needs bailout to survive, says CEO
3 September 2019
The editorial integrity of the SABC suffered a knock when a breakdown of governance systems was allowed over a long period, leading to a newsroom that operated on “auto-pilot”. This is according to Phatiswa Magopeni, the public broadcaster’s head of news, who testified before the commission of inquiry into state capture on Tuesday.
External interference caused ‘serious decay’ at SABC
4 September 2019
The commission of inquiry into state capture on Wednesday heard how, in early 2012, members of the Gupta family lobbied for an SABC channel to start up their broadcast news offering to then group CEO Lulama Mokhobo, just one week after she had occupied the position. Mokhobo testified that then acting COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng took her to the Saxonwold home of the Guptas, only telling her that someone wanted to congratulate her on her appointment.
SABC’s irregular dealings with the Guptas
5 September 2019
Bruce Koloane has resigned as South Africa’s ambassador to the Netherlands, said Naledi Pandor, minister in the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), in response to an oral question in Parliament on Wednesday.
Bruce Koloane resigns as Netherlands ambassador
9 September 2019
“Everything was done in good faith, on the understanding that it was helping the SABC.” This is the justification given by former SABC board chairperson Dr Ben Ngubane on Monday for the appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng as acting COO in 2011. It was his strong people skills that won Motsoeneng the confidence of the board. Ngubane was testifying before the commission of inquiry into state capture.
Motsoeneng’s ‘people skills’ helped him rapidly climb the ladder
10 September 2019
Hlaudi Motsoeneng has blamed bad advice given to him in 1995 by Marie Swanepoel, an official at the SABC in the Free State, for the narrative of lying about his lack of matric, that has dogged his profile at the public broadcaster. He conceded that he had never applied for any of the positions he held at the public broadcaster, but was head hunted from the start, due to his talent.
Motsoeneng “I’m the main man who influenced decisions of the SABC”
17 September 2019
Because it is very easy to abuse state assets when you work in the crime intelligence unit of the South African Police Service (Saps), some of its senior officials did so with impunity for years. As a result of this, crime intelligence abused the system of classifying documents to hide corruption and fraud.
Police crime intelligence corruption revealed
18 Sepember 2019
On his second day of testimony before the commission of inquiry into state capture on Wednesday, Hawks investigator Kobus Roelofse named senior journalist Ranjeni Munusamy and Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa as beneficiaries of proceeds from an illegal scheme in which the secret service account (SSA) of the crime intelligence (CI) unit of the police was abused.
Cars, private trips, home security upgrades paid for by illegal CI scheme
19 September 2019
The almost decade-long investigation into alleged fraud and corruption against former head of crime intelligence (CI) Lieutenant-General Richard Mdluli and former procurement head Colonel Heine Barnard has been frustrated at all levels, including that of national police commissioner. It became clear to Hawks senior investigator Colonel Kobus Roelofse, though, that the classified documents kept from him possibly incriminated more than just Mdluli and Barnard, but important people outside the South African Police Service (Saps) too. He returned for his third day of testimony before the commission of inquiry into state capture on Thursday.
Mdluli investigation deliberately hampered at all levels
25 September 2019
“No matter how much we tried to explain these issues, it was clear that the decision had already been made that we must be removed.” This is the evidence of the head of investigations for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) Matthews Sesoko to the commission of inquiry into state capture on Wednesday. He was describing the distress suffered by himself and the directorate’s former executive director Robert McBride after they stood up against the purging of senior Hawks officials.
Nhleko was out to get Ipid’s Sesoko and McBride
26 September 2019
Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has ordered that the testimony of crime intelligence (CI) official Colonel Dhanajaya Naidoo be heard in camera by the commission of inquiry into state capture on Friday.
The order, which was in response to an application by Naidoo, is the first of its kind for the commission, which began with public hearings in August last year.
First in-camera witness for Zondo
30 September 2019
Journalist Ranjeni Munusamy had her car repaired by the police’s crime intelligence (CI) unit in 2008 in return for her positive reporting on the division. This was alleged by former CI official Colonel Dhanajaya Naidoo on his second day of testimony before the commission of inquiry into state capture on Monday. Naidoo continues to testify in camera as he is currently under witness protection.
Crime intelligence paid for Munusamy car service
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