LIVE FEED: State capture inquiry - February 25, 2020

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. Picture: Nhlanhla Phillips/African News Agency(ANA).

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. Picture: Nhlanhla Phillips/African News Agency(ANA).

Published Feb 25, 2020

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Johannesburg - The Zondo commission will resume this morning and will hear testimony from former communications minister Yunus Carriem. 

The inquiry is continuing with its SABC related testimony. Carrim served as minister of communications from July 2013 and was later replaced by Faith Muthambi. 

When the commission heard evidence related to former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng. 

He said it was unfair that he had been portrayed as the reason why the SABC has struggled financially. He said the decision to focus on local content with his 90% local content policy, was not financially destructive because the SABC had the funds set aside at the time. 

"People say 'Hlaudi caused havoc at SABC [and] SABC is collapsing because of local content' – chairperson, how could SABC collapse on local content when we [had] budgeted R600m for local content?" Motsoeneng questioned. 

His third day of testimony also focused on the alleged irregular appointments and promotions he made while at the helm of the SABC. He denied strong-arming the SABC human resource department to push for appointments of those who were close to him. He said he had no power to do so. 

"Chairperson the custodian of appointment is human resource. There is no way Hlaudi can wake up in the morning and appoint someone even if I wanted to do that, HR would say 'no'," he said. 

WATCH THE LIVE FEED HERE: 

In an editorial report compiled by the SABC editorial commission, it was found that there were a string of irregular appointments that were made during Motsoeneng’s reign. The commission recommended that the SABC audit these appointments and promotions. The promotions of three individuals, particularly Nothando Maseko, Sebolelo Ditlhakanyane and Charles Matlou, who held management positions, was of concern for the commission. 

Motsoeneng denounced how the media covered his leadership, saying it was as if he was the only one in charge and that there was no board. 

"It seems as there was no board at the SABC, I was the board. We have a board which I must account to. The way media have been portraying me, you had Dr [Ben] Ngubane, you have professors and you have lawyers. Are these people stupid just to be taken by this matric-less guy?” he asked. 

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