Media reports saying that former SABC CEO Frans Matlala got a severance package of R18m are false, said his incumbent James Aguma on Tuesday at parliament.<\/p>\n
Media reports suggested that Matlala, who was suspended because he had allegedly helped national treasury with a procurement deal, received a golden handshake of R18m a day before he was due to appear for a disciplinary hearing.<\/p>\n
DA MP and party spokesperson on communication, Phumzile van Damme, insisted that Aguma revealed the severance package Matlala received. \u201cHow much have you paid the former CEO of the SABC? You spent millions paying him off. We\u2019re duty-bound to know why,\u201d Van Damme said.<\/p>\n
But Aguma maintained that the information was confidential. \u201cIt\u2019s confidential. Because the information was leaked to the media we\u2019re not going to bother too much,” he said.<\/p>\n
Aguma was part of a delegation from SABC which appeared before parliament to report back on the problems at the SABC. Communications Minister Faith Muthambi was also part of the delegation.<\/p>\n
During question time, Muthambi was asked why she continued blaming the media for the SABC\u2019s woes and why she had such a poor relationship with the press.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have a relationship with the media,\u201d Muthambi said. \u201cYou know the posture the mainstream media is taking \u2013 they took a deliberate position to be hostile towards government. Whatever this government does, they say it\u2019s corrupt that we can\u2019t do anything right.\u201d<\/p>\n
She accused the media of manufacturing stories about a crisis at the SABC. \u201cMost of the questions we had to respond to today were because of media reports. But now you can hear the truth from us.\u201d<\/p>\n
ANC MPs serving on the portfolio committee agreed with Muthambi, saying they were under another impression because of what was written in the media.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I read in the media was totally different from what I\u2019ve heard here today,\u201d said ANC MP Maesela Kekana.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hear the SABC board member (Aaron Tshidzumba) is a professor and the CEO (Aguma) is a chartered accountant. The media writes about you as if you\u2019re a standard five girl,\u201d Kekana said.<\/p>\n
Fin24<\/a><\/p>\n No probe needed at SABC: Portfolio Committee<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n SABC allegedly pays executive millions in settlement agreement<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Muthambi says SABC doesn\u2019t cover propaganda of war<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore on the SABC<\/h3>\n