The Portfolio Committee on Communications has impressed on the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board the importance of restoring trust with its employees.

The committee wasn't impressed with the SABC board's presentation at its meeting on Tuesday, and complained that it didn't have enough detail on the issues raised by labour unions, including the dismissal of employees alleged to be involved in a medical aid scam, and 26 members of the television licences call centre who went on an unprotected strike.

Board chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini said they provided the committee with reports on these matters earlier.

African National Congress whip in the committee Lerumo Kalako confirmed that they received the reports and that the problem seemed to be that it was distributed to MPs electronically.

After looking at hard copies of the document, members were still not impressed and demanded more detail from the SABC board.

'Bring the SABC back to its former glory'

The committee was briefed and told that the decision on the employees who had allegedly defrauded the medical scheme was upheld by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and that the medical aid scheme has taken the matter to court.

On the matter of the 26 dismissed employees, who worked under the TV licence division, the committee was of the view that the board had rushed their case and acted harshly, read a statement from committee chairperson Humphrey Maxegwana, which was released after the meeting.

Accordingly, the committee has requested the ministry and the board to engage further on decisions taken on the two cases and to provide a report.

The committee further appealed to the board to attend to the grievances raised by unions and provide a detailed report.

Deputy Minister of Communications said Pinky Kekana said the Department of Communications and the SABC board had a responsibility to bring stability to the SABC and that the issue of staff was critical.

"It is through those people that we can bring the SABC back to its former glory," she said.