SABC COO condemnation dials up

Published Jul 12, 2014

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Johannesburg - Controversial SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng looks increasingly isolated as the tripartite alliance and opposition parties continue to condemn his appointment as a senior executive at the public broadcaster.

The latest to register its protest is the Young Communist League.

This follows a statement by the league’s parent body and the ANC, distancing themselves from the appointment.

“We are concerned that the SABC board has made the recommendation to (Communications) Minster (Faith) Muthambi without explaining to the public what their response and actions are on the public protector’s report on the SABC.

“The board has not acted in the interest of the public, the public broadcaster and the mandate of the ANC government of transforming the public broadcaster to serve the needs and interests of our people,” said YCL spokesman Khaya Xaba yesterday.

ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa this week announced that the ANC had not been consulted about the appointment, hinting that the party did not support the SABC board’s decision.

The Freedom Front Plus said yesterday that it planned to lodge a complaint with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission over the appointment.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela will launch a new probe into the appointment.

This week, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi announced that Motsoeneng who had been acting as the SABC chief operating officer, had been made permanent.

She said that an independent law firm had conducted investigations and found no wrongdoing on Motsoeneng’s part. This was despite a Madonsela report in February that found that Motsoeneng had increased his salary from R1.5 million to R2.4m in one year. Other findings were that he purged senior staff and lied that he had passed matric.

Yesterday, Madonsela’s spokeswoman Kgalalelo Masibi said since Muthambi’s announcement their office had received complaints about maladministration and unethical conduct in his appointment.

Masibi said the new investigations will look into the processes used to appoint Motsoeneng who “lacks suitable qualification for the position of chief operations officer”.

She said: “It will focus on whether the appointment of Mr Motsoeneng by the minister of Communications following a recommendation by the SABC board was justifiable and proper, and whether it was in accordance with the SABC’s statutes, policies and prescripts as well as good corporate governance principles applicable to the corporation or whether the said appointment was irregular and thus constituted maladministration, improper and unethical conduct.”

Yesterday, The Star reported Motsoeneng’s diploma in Christian Fellowship which he obtained from American institution Emmanuel Christian Seminary in April is worthless locally as it is not recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority. Masibi could not confirm whether this will be part of their investigation.

The DA spokesman on communications Gavin Davis said that the party was in consultation with its team to see whether Motsoeneng’s appointment could be overturned in a court of law.

Saturday Star

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