SABC Group CEO Dali Mpofu has been suspended with immediate effect for failing to implement decisions of the board, chairperson Kanyi Mkonza said on Wednesday.

The announcement comes a day after Mpofu suspended Snuki Zikalala, the group executive of news and current affairs.

Serious allegations

"The decision to suspend advocate Mpofu follows an SABC board resolution taken on Tuesday. The board has resolved to conduct an investigation into very serious allegations about the conduct of the GCEO," Mkonza said in a statement.

"The allegations levelled against the GCEO include an alleged refusal and/or failure to abide and implement decisions of the board."

Mpofu has been suspended with full pay pending an investigation into the allegations, and, if necessary, a disciplinary enquiry.

"We intend to conclude this investigation within the next 30 days. In the meantime I would like to state categorically that at this stage no decision has been taken to terminate the employment of the GCEO," said Mkonza.

Newspapers reported on Wednesday that Mpofu's decision to suspend Zikalala was likely to spark retaliation from board members who have accused Mpofu of "mismanagement", a Business Day story said.

It quoted Mkonza as saying she did not view the suspension of Zikalala as legitimate.

Mpofu said the reason for Zikalala's suspension was misconduct related to the leaking of sensitive documents.

But he denied that it had anything to do with an internal SABC memorandum about rifts between the board and Mpofu which was leaked to the press.

"No, it's actually unrelated to the media speculation around this issue so the timing in that sense was quite strangely unfortunate, but no, this is a matter that has to do with information that was received about sensitive documents of the organisation," Mpofu said.

Zikala was suspended pending the outcome of an investigation which is "likely to result in a formal disciplinary inquiry", Mpofu added.

The internal politics at the public broadcaster have intensified since the election of new African National Congress leadership at Polokwane in December, with management and board members aligned to different factions within the ruling party.

Sapa