Cape Town - Despite controversial figure Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s departure as chief operating officer and subsequent role as group executive for corporate affairs at the SABC, the decisions made and changes to policy implemented on his watch will remain in place, the public broadcaster said on Monday.
Last year, Motsoeneng made the controversial policy ruling that all SABC radio stations play a minimum of 90% local music and one of its television stations, SABC 3, should broadcast a minimum of 80% local content.
“Many people introduced that in July last year,” said SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago. “TV is unlike radio. It is now up to production companies to get local content.”
The 90% rule was welcomed by many local artists who believed it would allow them greater exposure in mainstream media, but Motsoeneng’s detractors said he was imposing Draconian style rules, restricting creative control by individual radio stations.
“Everything will remain in place,” Kganyago said. He questioned why the policy would change simply because Motsoeneng was no longer in charge.
“It’s personalising the initiative. Many people have left companies after being a face behind an initiative. So does that need to change when they’re gone?”
In December, the Western Cape High Court ruled that Motsoeneng was unfit to hold any position at the SABC.
The DA and other complainants brought the application to investigate Motsoeneng’s fitness to hold office.
This came amid allegations that he interfered with editorial policy, threatened journalists and editors and lied about his qualifications.
Parliament’s ad hoc committee into the actions of the SABC and its now-defunct board is due to wrap up its report on the public broadcaster soon.