SABC chairwoman Ellen Tshabalala refuses to step down, saying she has done nothing wrong.<\/p>\n
“I’m not prepared to step down because I am not guilty of anything,” she told reporters in Johannesburg on Friday.<\/p>\n
She said a particular political party had a vested interest to destroy her image and that of the SABC.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Parliament’s communications portfolio committee resolved unanimously to recommend Tshabalala’s removal from office after an inquiry into whether she lied about her academic qualifications found her guilty on two charges of misconduct.<\/p>\n
Tshabalala said evidence given by the University of SA (Unisa) executive director for legal services Jan van Wyk at the committee inquiry was “hearsay”.<\/p>\n
“He draws information from the computer system. He is not an IT expert,” her lawyer Michael Tillney said on her behalf.<\/p>\n
“The committee relied on hearsay evidence to find me guilty.”<\/p>\n
Tillney said the committee’s decision was procedurally unfair and would be reviewed.<\/p>\n
He initially said Tshabalala’s legal team would probably seek leave to appeal the committee’s decision, but later said such an application was filed even before the committee sat.<\/p>\n
Tshabalala told reporters Unisa was having problems with its records and computer system and they could not be trusted.<\/p>\n
Van Wyk told the inquiry its records showed that although Tshabalala registered for a BCom degree and a labour relations diploma, she failed to obtain either.<\/p>\n
He testified that she registered for her BCom degree in 1988 and again in 1996, but did not complete her studies. She registered for a diploma in labour relations in 1995 but her results were so bad she could not be readmitted again. She scored 35 percent for a labour relations module and 13 percent for a human resources module.<\/p>\n
On Friday, Tshabalala accused Van Wyk of “leaking” false information to the media and to the Democratic Alliance, and said he was “not there” when she wrote exams and graduated in 1996.<\/p>\n
She refused to accede to a photographer’s request for access to her graduation photos.<\/p>\n
“I will not provide that to the media, I will prove it in court,” she said.<\/p>\n
Tshabalala has been given 14 working days to respond to the committee’s report, which contains its findings and recommendations. Both documents will then be sent to National Assembly for approval.<\/p>\n
The first charge of misconduct against Tshabalala relates to her stating on her CV that she had obtained the two qualifications when she applied for the job as SABC chairwoman.<\/p>\n
The other charge relates to an affidavit she submitted to Parliament stating certificates of her qualifications were stolen during a burglary at her home.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, the DA laid a charge of perjury against Tshabalala for lying about the theft.<\/p>\n
My Unisa results were manipulated: SABC chair<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n SABC chair Unisa results shock<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n SABC chair qualifications inquiry to continue<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n