TimesLIVE reports that Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has told Parliament that she was prepared to quit her job rather than give the cash-strapped SA broadcasting Corporation (SABC) a loan guarantee while it does not have a solid turnaround strategy.  

Ndabeni-Abrahams dropped the bombshell during a meeting between public entities within her department and parliament's portfolio committee on communications, at which she had a heated exchange with DA MP Phumzile van Damme.  Van Damme accused Ndabeni-Abrahams of being "flippant" about the SABC's cash crunch, arguing that it had, up to now, taken her department and the national treasury six months to approve or reject the public broadcaster's loan guarantee application.  The SABC currently owes suppliers about R1.9bn, while it struggles to continue paying salaries.  Its buildings now pose an occupational health and safety risk to its employees after years of no maintenance due to lack of money.  Under pressure from Van Damme, Ndabeni-Abrahams said she would rather step down from cabinet than give money to the SABC when she did not know how it would be spent.  Ndabeni-Abrahams said another meeting to discuss the SABC's loan guarantee application with the national treasury was due to take place on Thursday.

• Read the full original of Thabo Mokone’s report on the above story at TimesLIVE

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