Ndabeni-Abrahams must ‘continue to engage Treasury on SABC financial challenges’

The portfolio committee on communications has recommended that Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams should continue engaging with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and National Treasury with regard to the national broadcaster’s financial situation.

The recommendation was made in the committee’s report for budget vote 3 of the 2019/20 financial year, which covers the department of communications, the SABC and the Independent Communication Authority of South Africa (Icasa).

The chairperson of the committee, Hope Papo, said in a statement on Tuesday that the committee would continue to support the SABC because of its public mandate.

“In the meantime, the committee will wait for the enhanced turnaround strategy, which should be available by the end of September 2019,” said Papo.

The committee further considered Budget vote 32, which covers the telecommunications and postal services, including Sentech, the South African Post Office, Universal Services and Access Agency of South Africa, Broadband Infraco, the National Electronic and Media Institute of South Africa, the State Information Technology Agency and the .za Domain Name Authority (Zadna).

Budget votes 3 and 32 will be debated tomorrow in a mini-plenary of the National Assembly.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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