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Cape Town – After the SABC several times said it’s not paying for the #ThankYouSABC Concert that turned into a massive embarrassment for the public broadcaster, it turns out the SABC did pay for the empty concert to the tune of R2.69m.
SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago repeatedly said beforehand that the SABC didn’t pay for the #ThankYouSABC Concert in Orlando Stadium held last month.
The stadium can hold 40 000 but drew only between 1 000 to 2 000 people after the organisers said they want to break the Guinness World Records with attendance figures and artists performing.
Artists however were not paid and dropped out and reported about the shambolic organisation.
Kganyago said repeatedly “we are not giving any money towards this concert. We are merely acting as media sponsors where promoters are given airtime on our various platforms”.
After Kganyago said that the SABC is not paying for the #ThankYouSABC Concert, the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, told parliament on Wednesday that the SABC did in fact pay R2 695 750 for the controversial concert to Phumelela Group.
“The Thank You SABC concert was an initiative hosted and coordinated by Phumelela Group at Orlando Stadium to thank the SABC and the board for its endeavours to develop local music/content. Costs pertaining to the event would have been directed and charged to the organisers by all service providers contracted to the event,” said Muthambi in a written reply in parliament to a question from the Democratic Alliance.
The SABC just posted yet another annual loss of R411m.
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