SABC gets 'inside info'
2004-08-24 08:21
Willem Jordaan
Cape Town - On the eve of a potentially heated parliamentary debate about
the travel scandal, the speaker of the national assembly addressed the
SABC's news management on the matter.
No other media organisation was invited to this information session.
It emerged on Monday morning that speaker Baleta Mbete would address the
SABC about the alleged abuse of travel coupons after the SABC claimed on its
website that she would inform the news team about "MPs involved in the
scam".
Mbete's spokesperson, Luphumzo Kebeni, confirmed that the information session
took place in Johannesburg.
He said the intention of the session was not to
name the MPs involved in the scam.
"The situation remains the same - we cannot announce the names because
justice must takes its course," Kebeni said.
He said the idea was merely "to provide the national broadcaster's news
management with background on the case".
He couldnot confirm, however, that
the SABC would not report about the case.
No 'sinister motives'
Asked why only the SABC was invited to the information session, Kebeni said there are no sinister motives.
He said the speaker was busy with a series of information sessions in which she will address the media about the "full background" of the travel
scandal, and these sessions will also be offered to other media
organisations.
The various political parties will have their say on Tuesday afternoon in a
special parliamentary debate about the travel scandal.
While the DA announced that Craig Morkel is its implicated MP, the ANC
draped a veil of secrecy over its 19 names.
The NNP also did not want to
reveal who is on its list of three.
- Die Burger