Parliament - The portfolio committee on communications in Parliament could on Wednesday seal the fate of Hlaudi Motsoeneng after he was illegally appointed by the SABC.
The SABC board is set to face tough questions from members of the portfolio committee on why Motsoeneng was re-appointed despite a court judgment.
This follows a two-week standoff between the SABC and Motsoeneng against the Cabinet, the ANC caucus in Parliament and the ANC National Executive Committee. The board has also been under fire for several months for allowing Motsoeneng to run the SABC at will, according to opposition parties.
Former chief operating officer at the broadcaster Motsoeneng and the SABC refused to heed calls for him to go after the SCA judgment.
Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe last week said the SABC board was disrespecting the courts of the land.
He said the courts were the foundation of the Constitution and the SABC was in breach of the supreme law of the country.
At a meeting on Wednesday the SABC board faces a series of questions on its fiduciary duties.
Last week the SABC announced losses of R411 million for the last financial year. This was in addition to the R395m loss for the previous year that the public broadcaster posted. The SABC has also refused to explain why it paid Motsoeneng a bonus of R11.4m.
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had written to Communications Minister Faith Muthambi warning her that the appointment of Motsoeneng into a different position was illegal and in violation of the judgment of the court.
Motsoeneng was nonetheless appointed head of corporate affairs a week ago.
Madonsela said she would investigate the conduct of the SABC board in re-appointing Motsoeneng.
The former SABC chief operating officer had said earlier he was still going to apply for his old job if it was advertised.
The SABC is apparently in the process of advertising the position of COO after the SCA judgment.
But the intervention of MPs could derail or scupper his plans.
The ANC last week was fuming after it learnt of the re-appointment.
The NEC also called on the SABC to respect the court judgment and asked the SABC to review its decision on Motsoeneng.
It is not clear if the committee will take a decision on Motsoeneng on Wednesday, but chairman of the committee Humphrey Maxegwana had indicated earlier that they wanted to wrap up this matter urgently.
It is in this context that the committee called an urgent meeting with the SABC board, and could not wait for its scheduled meeting next Tuesday to discuss the matter.
Political Bureau