SENIOR managers claiming more than R30000 per month for petrol, consultants being paid R326million and almost 1500 staff members busy with outside business interests - that's the state of affairs at the SABC.

Auditor-general Terrence Nombembe yesterday released his report on irregularities at the SABC to Parliament.

Nombembe's report backed allegations made by the Broadcasting, Electronic Media and Allied Workers Union, which had released a dossier claiming that financial mismanagement drove the SABC into a debt of R830million.

Both the former board members and SABC senior executives were to blame for a "culture where management is not focused on public accountability or acting in the best interest of the SABC", Nombembe's report said.

Nombembe found that seven tenders, valued at R174million, were issued without proper approval.

He said petrol cards were unlimited and 11 senior managers clocked up R11,3million in fuel claims between January 2007 and August this year, while former chief executive Dali Mpofu signed a contract for R326million with a consultant in September 2006, even though he did not have the authority to do so.