SABC group CEO advocate Dali Mpofu oversaw massive financial
mismanagement, ignored the board, lost valuable broadcasting rights –
and had the cheek to challenge the board in court, writes Louise Flanagan in The Star.

That's what the SABC board is accusing Mpofu of in an internal disciplinary hearing.

A five-page charge sheet outlines the board's case. Some of the charges relate to matters that are two years old, while others are not dated.

Last night Mpofu confirmed he had seen the charges, saying: "It's kind of rubbish, really."

He intends challenging his suspension in court again.

Mpofu said charges from older incidents – under a different board – were not raised with him at the time.

A statement on behalf of the board and chairperson Kanyi Mkonza said: "1. The SABC is engaged in an internal process. 2. The allegations and internal process are a matter between the SABC and the GCEO and it is not appropriate that these matters be dealt with in the public domain."

The board alleges that Mpofu:

# Submitted an inadequate budget, late, which assumed a 20 percent increase in licence revenue and a 20 percent increase in staff payments without explaining either;

# Failed to provide an audit of funds from the government;

# Wanted the SABC to borrow up to R300-million;

# Spent R144-million between April 2006 and March this year without contracts to back this;

# Signed a R330-million contract with Siemens in September 2006 without following procedure or having authority, and paid R7-million before signing the contract;

# Ignored board resolutions, particularly instructions to fill key top management posts;

# Failed to secure broadcasting rights to events like the Cricket World Cup;

# Suspended head of news Snuki Zikalala without consulting the board, and contrary to policy;

# Failed to stop lawyers who allegedly defrauded the SABC from continuing to get work from it;

# Paid bonuses to staff for the 2006/7 financial year without doing performance assessments; and

# Undermined the SABC by repeatedly making statements disrespectful of the board and "under oath in the high court proceedings challenging his suspension".

Click here to read the full report, posted on iol.co.za.