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The Ad Hoc Committee on the South African Broadcasting Corporation Board (SABC) Inquiry wishes to clarify that the people with the potential to assist the work of the Committee with providing relevant information were invited to appear before it.

The Chairperson of the Committee, Mr Vincent Smith, said some of the people invited declined. “The Committee drafted and adopted a programme according to who was available and could not go back and amend its programme at this late stage. There is nothing stopping anyone from submitting an affidavit for the Committee’s attention,” Mr Smith explained.

Any claims that people were unfairly denied an opportunity to state their case before the Committee are unfortunate and misleading, he said. The Committee received requests late in 2016 from former SABC acting Group CEO Mr Jimi Matthews and journalist Mr Vuyani Green to give oral inputs before the Committee, but their requests were denied. Mr Smith said the Committee is committed to the programme it set to meet the strict deadlines set by Parliament, while upholding high standards of fairness and transparency.

The Committee is currently receiving oral inputs from final two witnesses, both of whom are former SABC board chairpersons.

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson, Mr Vincent Smith