Four SABC officials are in hot water over two dodgy deals that cost the broke public broadcaster almost R60- million.

The senior officials, according to internal correspondence, include acting COO Bessie Tugwana, who was group executive for sports when the deals were signed, as well as strategy and planning manager in the sports division Marcia Mahlalela.

The others are manager in the office of the chief financial officer Thandeka Ndlovu and suspended head of sports Sully Motsweni. One contract was for the revamping and commercialisations of seven websites, including the SABC Sports website at a cost of R9-million per website. This project was not budgeted for.

Another contract, also worth R9-million, was for the acquisition of digital sports rights or sub-licensing of content rights. The two contracts were given to the same company without any tender.

All four officials have already been questioned by the SABC's internal forensic audit unit and was now being investigated by corruption busters, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).

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