An attempted assassination of a SABC executive leading a
clean-up operation is not going to deter the process.
This was according to the SABC board chairperson, Bongumusa
Makhathini, who said in an interview with the public broadcaster that chief
audit executive, Thamsanqa (Thami) Zikode, was even more committed to
scrutinising reports on cases of wrongdoing.
Zikode escaped harm after he was followed from the public
broadcaster in Auckland Park to his home in Johannesburg South on Friday night.
His car was sprayed with bullets at the gate. Gauteng
police spokesperson, Captain Mavela Masondo, said one of the suspects sustained
bullet wounds.
It appeared he was injured and left behind by his
accomplices when Zikode shot back at them.
Police arrested the 32-year-old man in connection with the
attack and recovered a firearm with ammunition.
They also discovered the getaway car around Southgate Mall.
Masondo said they were still questioning the suspect in
custody and are hot on heels of the three others who managed to flee and were
still at large on Sunday.
The DA has called on the police to push hard to arrest
those responsible for the attack and assess the security of SABC employees
involved in uncovering the wrongdoing there.
The public broadcaster appointed Zikode in December 2017 in
line with its "commitment to ensuring organisation stability, financial
recovery, and sound governance".
Makhathini said Zikode was heading the clean-up operation,
which dealt with investigations from the Special Investigating Unit, the Public
Protector and about 180 reports from internal investigations.
He said in the SABC interview that "no amount of
intimidation or whatsoever will stop us from doing what is right… to bring
order to this place" and that people would be held accountable.
"He [Zikode] said he is ready to do this because it is
the right thing to do," Makhathini said, adding that they were keeping him
safe.
The DA said the police should immediately institute
personal risk assessments on all staff members working to uncover corruption at
the SABC and take steps to provide SAPS protection to high risk individuals.
"While we welcome news that suspects have been brought
in for questioning, it remains clear that this is not an isolated incident. It
is a coordinated effort by a corrupt network that had turned SABC into their
fiefdom and now face a real possibility of being exposed," said the DA
shadow minister for communication, Phumzile Van Damme.
"The DA looks forward to a thorough investigation of
Thami Zikode’s case, including all the unsolved cases at the SABC, as a
critical first step in restoring the SABC as a safe working place for all its
employees." News24
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