The SABC has tripled its monetary support of Gupta-owned media, the Democratic Alliance said on Wednesday.
The public broadcaster has spent more than R700 000 on subscriptions to The New Age newspaper since May 2014, communications minister Faith Muthambi said in a parliamentary reply to a question from the DA.
“This amounts to a tripling in the SABC’s financial support of TNA from R238 356,52 in 2011,” DA MP Phumzile Van Damme claimed in a statement.
“It is deplorable that the SABC has completely disregarded the finance minister’s calls for austerity in order to financially anchor a newspaper with paltry readership, owned by the friends of President Zuma,” Van Damme said.
“I will be urging Muthambi to instruct the SABC chief operating officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, to withdraw any active subscriptions with The New Age.”
The SABC’s money could be put to better use, she said.
“The gross extent of state capture by the Guptas is robbing our economy of alleviating poverty and unemployment.” — (c) 2016 NewsCentral Media