Sapo's business rescue plan sparks heated debate in NCOP
Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers
A VIRTUAL meeting of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Committee on Economic Development and Trade descended into tense deliberations this week as Business Rescue Practitioners (BRPs) overseeing the SA Post Office (Sapo) requested parts of their briefing to be held behind closed doors, citing commercial sensitivity.
The move was met with fierce resistance from legislators who demanded full transparency, given the billions in public funds at stake.
The meeting, chaired by the DA's Sonja Boshoff, began with a procedural tussle after BRPs' Juanito Damons and Anoosh Rooplal submitted a letter, dated May 8, but only received by the Committee on June 9, requesting confidentiality for sections of Sapo's turnaround strategy.
They argued that public disclosure would compromise Sapo's intellectual property and competitive edge. 'The turnaround strategy is Sapo's intellectual property. If made public before implementation, it could prejudice the entity,' Damons said.
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Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele backed the BRPs, saying: 'The information is commercially sensitive. Sharing it openly could be detrimental to Sapo's success.'
However, the DA's Nicolaas Pienaar slammed the justification as 'lacklustre', questioning why patents weren't sought if the strategy was groundbreaking. 'This is taxpayer money funding Sapo's rescue. The public has a right to know how it's spent,' he argued, warning against 'hiding information from the public'.
ANC members, led by Mpho Modise, pushed for a physical meeting, citing frustrations over Sapo's repeated delays and 'unacceptable conduct'. 'We've waited a year for this briefing. Now they want secrecy? No. Everyone must account in person,' Modise declared, proposing a postponement.
His motion gained traction after ANC colleague Patrick Mabilo lambasted Sapo's 'outrageous' lack of accountability. 'We've been lenient, but this ends now. If subpoenas are needed, we'll use them,' he said.
Hendrik Van Den Berg of the FF+ initially opposed delaying the meeting, urging immediate access to the information. But with technical glitches disrupting proceedings — including Advocate Shamara Ally's audio cutting out during her legal input — the Committee ultimately voted to reschedule for June 18.
Ally, the NCOP's procedural advisor, highlighted the dilemma: 'We lack the documents to assess confidentiality claims. Yet Sapo's rescue involves public funds, so accountability is paramount.' She noted media and civil society's intense interest in Sapo's fate, underscoring the need for transparency.
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Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Next Stay Close ✕ #BREAKING 🔵Zimbabwe Independent editor, Faith Zaba, has been detained overnight by the police over an article that appeared in the weekly, which the authorities allege 'undermined the authority' of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. 🔗 — The Standard Zim (@thestandardzim) July 1, 2025 The article was published on Friday by the independent weekly newspaper, with the headline: 'When you become mafia state'. On Tuesday, Zaba's lawyer Chris Mhike told IOL News that Zaba would spend the night in police custody before appearing before the Harare Magistrate's Court on Wednesday morning. The satirical column "Muckracker" published in the Zimbabwe Independent before Editor Faith Zaba was arrested. Image: Sunday Independent Mhike said after the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) recorded a warned and cautioned statement from Zaba, the police insisted on detaining her overnight, pending a court appearance provisionally set for Wednesday. 'We are deeply disappointed with the determination of the authorities to lock Zaba up, even in the face of medical confirmation of her current severe illness,' Mhike told IOL News. Meanwhile, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called for Zaba's unconditional release. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Monitors Platform has also demanded the release of the editor. 'We call for the release of Faith Zaba, who was recently arrested and charged with undermining the authority of the president,' the Zimbabwe Human Rights Monitors Platform posted on X. Senior Alpha Media Holdings and HStv journalist Blessed Mhlanga recently spent 72 days at the crowded Harare Remand Prison after HStv broadcast utterances by former Zanu PF central committee member, Blessed Geza, calling for President Mnangagwa to step down. In May, Mhlanga was granted provisional release from prison. Commenting on Zaba's arrest, Mhlanga wrote on X: On February 24, it was me, today it's my boss Fath Zaba, tomorrow it's you. The editor of @Zimindependent being arrested over a satire column is some crazy stuff. In this cold she is braving the cells for allowing free speech. Nobody is safe even those who are arresting people'. On February 24, it was me, today it's my boss Fath Zaba, tomorrow it's you. The editor of @Zimindependent being arrested over a satire column is some crazy stuff. In this cold she is braving the cells for allowing free speech. Nobody is safe even those who are arresting people — Dhara Blessed Mhlanga HSTV (@bbmhlanga) July 1, 2025
