SABC Blames Apartheid for Shocking Audit Report

{{Zandile Tshabala, chairperson of the SABC board, has ripped into PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) over the independent auditor firm’s scathing skills audit report of the beleaguered South African public broadcaster, slamming the audit for allegedly using “outdated” tests on SABC staff she says were used under Apartheid.}}

The report from PwC from July 2013 about the SABC, was revealed in parliament this past Tuesday. Members of parliament’s portfolio committee on communications called the report and its findings “shocking”, “very worrying” and a “reality check” for the SABC.

ThePwC report – besides a wide-ranging skills audit of SABC personnel such as asking them to sit for a numeracy test and others – also did fact-based auditing of qualifications such as authenticating matric and tertiary certificates on file.

Besides finding that the SABC is lacking strategic thinkers in tests, PwC asked SABC staff what they think of the public broadcaster as part of the audit. That involved no tests.

– SABC personnel responded that they “do not trust the SABC’s management team, or the SABC board” and question “the ability of the above-mentioned”. SABC staff had “a negative attitude towards the organisation”.

– Not related to any tests and only document and file checking, the PwC report uncovered more than 2 200 SABC staff of which the SABC has no proof on file that they actually passed matric.

– Not related to any tests and only document and file checking, the PwC report uncovered 24 SABC personnel with fraudulent or “non-compliant” matric and Grade 10 certificates.

– The PwC report also found through file checking, more than 100 SABC staff at the SABC of which the broadcaster has no personnel file.

– Not related to any tests and only document and file checking, the PwC audit found SABC staff with “non-related qualifications on file” for example a finance administrator with a diploma in beauty and health.

{Zandile Tshabala}