Deputy Speaker, the SABC, as a public broadcaster, is once again turning into an embarrassment for the country as a result of the Minister's relationship with the chairman of the board and the group chief executive officer of the organisation.
This explains the shock resignation of two board members, Mrs Barbara Masekela and Mr Magatho Mello, with more resignations to follow. Between the Minister, the group chief executive officer and the board chairman, they are trying to manage the irregular appointment of the Head of News, Mr Phil Molefe, who now, of course, owes the Minister a favour in return.
This is the only way that the SABC's news bulletins of this morning can be explained, which indicated that the Minister was found to be squeaky clean by the Public Protector. Contrary to what the SABC - his master's voice - reported, the Public Protector actually found that the Minister contravened the Code of Ethics contained in the Executive Members' Ethics Act.
In fact, she called on the President to take appropriate action to censor the Minister. The Public Protector also called on Minister Barbara Hogan to finalise the inquiry into the irregularity in the awarding of a R55 million Transnet freight rail contract that was awarded to Minister Nyanda's security firm. If it was not irregular, we would like to know why Mr Gama and other people were dismissed. Money should be recovered from this firm.