"We have R60-million outstanding and we accept that," said Mampone, facing a large group of booing and heckling protesters.

Holding a memorandum from the Creative Workers Union of SA, which included a call for the board to step down, and for a public hearing into the SABC by the Independent Communications Authority of SA, Mampone said: "You are allowed to get angry, you have the right to be angry with the public broadcaster."

"You have the right to be angry"

Separated from the protesters by a human chain formed by the police and marshals, he said a payment plan was "on the table" following a meeting with industry representatives on Tuesday.

They now had to decide how to apportion payment from the pool of cash available, said Mampone who recently warned the SABC would need at least R2-billion to solve its financial problems.

"We will settle those outstanding debts."

He said the main contributing factor to their predicament was a fall in advertising revenue.

However, the Young Communist League said the R2-billion should be withheld until the board steps down, accusing it of siding with opposition party, the Congress of the People.

"The board must go, then they can get their money," YCL spokesperson Castro Ngobese said.

The board has come in for sustained criticism from some political quarters for its perceived allegiance to former president Thabo Mbeki, who appointed the board, and whose forced resignation last year was seen as the trigger for the formation of ANC breakaway group Cope.

Unions and the Freedom of Expression Institute have also asked why the board does not have a labour and a media industry representative, arguing that this makes it improperly constituted.

Meanwhile, babies in prams, bare-breasted women and a dog were among the star-studded crowd of protesters.

Reworking a song popularised by President Jacob Zuma, they sang "Awulethu imali yami" (bring my money) as they stopped traffic and drew crowds of onlookers.

These include worries that the SABC is not paying for work on time, causing a knock-on effect in the industry; that it is cutting back on local content; and that it was not paying for repeat programmes.

Peter Goldsmid, who is on the committee which organised the march, said: "We don't want to bring the SABC down, we just want it to meet its obligations to all South Africans and the industry."

Swaziland Solidarity Network spokesperson Lucky Lukhele called on the SABC to stop its coverage of King Mswati. Lukhele also used the platform to draw attention to the detention of People's United Democratic Movement leader Mario Masuku.

Artists' manager Gaenor Becker said actors do not get fees for programme repeats, even though it is in their contracts, and Sewende Laan actress Vinette "Charmaine" Ebrahim said she was "disgusted" that production houses risked closure because they were not being paid.

The Imbabazane Cultural Organisation felt that African tradition was being sidelined and their female dancers expressed this view by joining the march wearing only traditional Zulu beaded skirts and necklaces.

"We want the SABC to broadcast shows we can be involved in — shows with African culture — because they are leaving us out," said Manto Makama.

Meanwhile, Archie the bulldog, wearing a Zulu beaded collar watched proceedings with canine reserve as he strutted alongside his master, post-production worker Guy Steer.

"They said it is the downslide in the economy, we say it is the mismanagement of funds," said Steer.

Sapa

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