Nkosana Lekotjolo and Sibongile Mashaba

Nkosana Lekotjolo and Sibongile Mashaba

Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri and embattled SABC boss Dali Mpofu are on course for a head-on collision.

The minister says Mpofu is ignoring her letters urging him to submit a comprehensive report detailing the problems that led to the management chaos at the SABC.

But Mpofu denies receiving any such requests .

"Yes, I saw the letter, but it was not addressed to me.

"The letter was sent to the chairman of the board on June 6, if I remember correctly, and she failed to pass it on to me.

"I have raised the issue in court and have filed a complaint against that," Mpofu said.

The minister's spokesman, Joe Makhafola, confirmed that Matsepe-Casaburri had written a letter to Mpofu, the SABC board, executive committee members, senior management, internal audit, some business units and other top individuals at the SABC asking them to submit their reports to her office.

"The minister has received the reports from all the SABC departments and people concerned in the matter, but to date no report from Mpofu has been received," Makhafola said.

Matsepe-Casaburri had previously requested reports from the SABC board and management to assess some of the "serious internal administrative and managerial problems".

She again challenged Mpofu publicly to bring her a report during her budget speech on June 3 after media reports calling for her and President Thabo Mbeki to intervene in the SABC conflicts.

The first deadline for the submission of reports was June 20 and it was further extended to Friday, June 27.

Matsepe-Casaburri has brought together a team of experts from different fields to assist the SABC with its challenges. The team will assess the SABC reports and thereafter give its recommendations to the minister.

SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago was yesterday not available for comment.