The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reportedly allowed its resources to be used to support Gupta-owned rival station Africa News Network (ANN7).
This is according to former SABC contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko, who also revealed that resources for the state broadcaster's show Morning Live were used to fund the controversial The New Age (TNA) Business Breakfasts.
Mvoko was testifying at the SABC inquiry in Parliament on Monday alongside his colleagues who have been dubbed the "SABC 8".
"What the SABC executives haven't informed you about is that they have allowed SABC money to be used to build a rival channel ANN7," said Mvoko.
"Morning Live resources get diverted to pay for the production costs of those TNA breakfasts that you see."
He said none of the money made from selling tables during the breakfasts and the associated sponsorships went to the SABC.
"From the millions they make through sponsorships to the tables they sell at those breakfasts, they do not take any of that to the SABC. Except perhaps to the people who make things happen for them," said Mvoko.
He said the SABC spent between R200,000 and R500,000 to broadcast one of the TNA breakfasts.
"We pay for the production costs, we pay for the presenters to be there, for all those people, that whole tribe that has to travel to Bloemfontein or to the Northern Cape to do those broadcasts. The owners of TNA don't pay any of that money."
The controversial TNA Business Breakfasts have been sponsored by Transnet, Telkom and Eskom, which, according to the Mail & Guardian and City Press, spent millions on each briefing.
It was reported that Transnet paid R17.5-million for 18 briefings between 2011 and 2012 while Eskom signed a R43-million sponsorship deal in 2014 for three years. Telkom is said to have spent R12-million on the briefing in the 2012-13 financial year.
Calls to the SABC and TNA Media went unanswered.
SABC resources used to fund ANN7: Vuyo Mvoko
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reportedly allowed its resources to be used to support Gupta-owned rival station Africa News Network (ANN7).
This is according to former SABC contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko, who also revealed that resources for the state broadcaster's show Morning Live were used to fund the controversial The New Age (TNA) Business Breakfasts.
Mvoko was testifying at the SABC inquiry in Parliament on Monday alongside his colleagues who have been dubbed the "SABC 8".
"What the SABC executives haven't informed you about is that they have allowed SABC money to be used to build a rival channel ANN7," said Mvoko.
"Morning Live resources get diverted to pay for the production costs of those TNA breakfasts that you see."
He said none of the money made from selling tables during the breakfasts and the associated sponsorships went to the SABC.
"From the millions they make through sponsorships to the tables they sell at those breakfasts, they do not take any of that to the SABC. Except perhaps to the people who make things happen for them," said Mvoko.
He said the SABC spent between R200,000 and R500,000 to broadcast one of the TNA breakfasts.
"We pay for the production costs, we pay for the presenters to be there, for all those people, that whole tribe that has to travel to Bloemfontein or to the Northern Cape to do those broadcasts. The owners of TNA don't pay any of that money."
The controversial TNA Business Breakfasts have been sponsored by Transnet, Telkom and Eskom, which, according to the Mail & Guardian and City Press, spent millions on each briefing.
It was reported that Transnet paid R17.5-million for 18 briefings between 2011 and 2012 while Eskom signed a R43-million sponsorship deal in 2014 for three years. Telkom is said to have spent R12-million on the briefing in the 2012-13 financial year.
Calls to the SABC and TNA Media went unanswered.
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