Former SABC boss Dali Mpofu has sealed a deal that will see the cash-strapped public broadcaster pay him a golden handshake just short of R12 million.
Mpofu said on Friday he welcomed the multimillion-rand payout, and was in "no hurry" to look for a new job.
But opposition parties erupted in fury, with the DA saying Mpofu's "bad management" had cost the SABC millions, while Cope said it would call for the payout to be put on ice until the Auditor-General's probe into "questionable management practices" at the SABC had been concluded.
"While there may be good reason why the SABC interim board had to get rid of the individual at any price, we trust that this settlement will not exonerate Mpofu from executive responsibility for the financial and managerial crisis that he leaves behind," Cope national spokesman, Phillip Dexter said.
Mpofu said he was prepared to "fully co-operate" with the Auditor-General's investigation.
The deal was negotiated by SABC interim board chairwoman Irene Charnley. Mpofu had successfully challenged his axing by previous board chairwoman Khanyi Mkonza in the courts.
The settlement nets Mpofu R6.7 million in terms of "contractual obligations" as well as an extra R900 000 legally due to him, while the Department of Communications will pay him compensation of R4.4 million, the SABC said in a statement.
Footing Mpofu's legal bill will cost the SABC R2 million.
Charnley said on Friday it was "in the interest of the public that we move forward".
She said the post of group chief executive officer would be advertised - and filled - before the interim board's term expired in December.
"This is important for stability. We can't have instability with court challenges. It's in the interest of the public that we move forward," Charnley said.
Describing the settlement as "fair", Mpofu said he would now be able to move on with his life.
He said his challenge to his dismissal had not been motivated by money, but rather by principle. He believed the previous board under Mkonza had ulterior motives in removing him when his contract still had a year to run.
Continuing with legal action would have prevented the appointment of a new CEO, Mpofu said.
"I personally have an interest that the organisation does not collapse. We want a publicly focused organisation. It's a good end to the saga. It's a win-win solution.
"I leave with my head held high after the court stated that my expulsion was made out of ulterior motive," said Mpofu, who joined the SABC four years ago in August.
DA shadow communications minister Niekie van den Berg said Mpofu was part of the problem at the SABC and said it showed that politics had to be kept out of business.
"Dali Mpofu cost the SABC millions because of bad management. He got bonuses in 2007 and 2008 - for what? It's laughable," said Van den Berg.
Dexter said the payout was "an insult" to SABC officials who kept the public broadcaster operational during the protracted battle between the executive management and the previous SABC board.
The chairman of the National Assembly's communications oversight committee, Ismail Vadi (ANC), said the settlement was a relief and would help stabilise the public broadcaster.
The Mpofu saga had created uncertainty for all parties, Vadi said.
"It's a welcome development. The next thing is to appoint a new CEO," he said.
Vadi said more than 200 nominations had been received for the 12-member permanent SABC board by Friday's deadline, after dozens of nominations arrived in a last-minute flood.
The process of sifting through them and selecting a new permanent board will start at the beginning of September.