The SABC's recent request for a R2-billion government bailout caused for much uproar amongst taxpayers and one can't help but to wonder if the near-collapse could be political?

An 83 percent drop in profits; R1.5-billion in expenditure which can simply not be accounted for; the resignation of 11 of its 12 board members; a back and forth court battle with its CEO; employer strikes over pay disputes as well as lack of payment to freelance producers; let's face it, our public broadcaster has seen better days.

The board has been in the middle of a political storm since its inception, in December 2007. The controversial appointment of the new board followed barely a week after former president Mbeki's dismal defeat during the ANC's Polokwane conference. Mbeki was out to prove a point when he appointed the board against the wishes of Parliament and the newly-elected ANC officials.

A good move on Mbeki's side taken the negative media coverage he received in the months to follow. The SABC however, remained devoted to the ousted president as stories of his recall from office were chosen carefully as overseen by head of news, Snuki Zikalala. And while the country's leading party was experiencing internal differences, the broadcaster too faced an internal upheaval.

A financial and governance crisis

Although never a flourishing corporation, the parastatal managed its affairs fairly soundly until recently when the cracks of a financial and governance crisis started showing. The SABC board killed runaway rumours relating to internal politics being the cause for its financial woes, however recent actions proved quite the contrary.

Insider information led media to report that the broadcaster's management was vying at different ends of the political arena. Suspended CEO, Dali Mpofu and its head of news, Snuki Zikilala – once joint ANC cadres – drifted apart following the ANC's 2007 Polokwane conference after Jacob Zuma scooped an overwhelming victory.

Mpofu changed his allegiance and joined the Zuma-camp, while Zikalala remained a devoted Mbeki ally. Soon after Polokwane, The Sowentan quoted inside sources recalling Zikalala's disappointment of Zuma's triumph. "The ANC voted for a monkey," Zikalala reportedly said.

A day before the pro-Mbeki board allegedly planned to suspend Mpofu, he suspended Zikalala with immediate effect, pending an investigation into "allegations of serious misconduct that could lead to formal disciplinary hearings". Again, inside sources claimed Mpofu got word of his planned suspension and the board's intention to replace him with Zikalala.

A taxpayer-funded golden handshake

Zikalala stood accused of controversial reports that he had blacklisted political commentators critical of the Mbeki government; that he had leaked confidential SABC information to the media; and that he had undermined Mpofu. Although welcomed by opposition parties, Zikalala's exit from the broadcaster at the end of April 2009 was clouded by reports that he received a taxpayer-funded golden handshake as a farewell gift.

Three-times-suspended CEO, Dali Mpofu, certainly had his piece of the pie. Despite the corporation's dismal performance and while being on paid suspension for most of the year, he received a R2.1-million bonus during 2008, 47.3 percent higher than the previous years' R1.4-million. Mpofu's salary was also increased by 19.7 percent to R4.5-million. Not bad for a company currently facing a R784-million deficit.

Although the problem cannot be limited solely to the Mpofu-Zikalala debacle, it's evident that the extent of outside interference weighed heavily on the parastatal's poor performance.

The apartheid government used television news as a propaganda tool and judging by current events, not much has changed. The broadcaster has been crippled by controlling politicians who have abused its news content to boost their public profiles.

The time has come for the ANC to step aside and have Parliament put forward a list of competent candidates to replace the current non-existent board. These candidates should be selected on merit, should be independent and free of any political affiliations while their sole agenda should be to provide the best possible news without any bias. Failing this, the broadcaster will inevitably face the same fate following a new incoming government. The SABC will fail and will continue to fail as long as it's run like a political party.

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