In what appears to be the latest move by the interim SABC board to clean up the public broadcaster, the SABC's controversial breakfast show deal with Gupta-owned The New Age/ANN7 is set to be scrapped, Business Day reported on Tuesday.
The paper said it had reliably learnt that the interim board wants to cancel so-called dodgy deals entered into by the SABC, particularly the TNA Morning Live Show, where the SABC airs the TNA business breakfast briefings.
An anonymous source who spoke to Business Day said it was one of the contracts that the new interim board was not comfortable with.
"Not only is the contract irregular, but it does not make financial sense for the SABC to remain in a deal with a rival broadcaster," the source reportedly said.
According to Business Day, Parliament's ad hoc committee investigating the SABC previously heard that the SABC paid up to R1 million per episode of the TNA Morning Live Show. This was reportedly revealed in information given to the committee by former acting CEO of the SABC, Phil Molefe.
The committee also heard from former contributing editor, Vuyo Mvoko, that the SABC carried the costs of production while all revenue went to TNA, Business Day reported.
The board is reportedly also scrutinising a R533 million deal with MultiChoice, and it has suspended acting CEO James Aguma while pursuing disciplinary charges against former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng.