'Why we love our Hlaudi'

Communications Minister Faith Muthambi has for the first time given a glimpse into her reasoning when she confirmed the appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng as the SABC's chief operations officer - he has "sterling accomplishments".

In February Public Protector Thuli Madonsela recommended that Motsoeneng, then acting chief operations officer, be disciplined for abusing his powers and increasing his salary from R1.5-million to R2.4-million within one year.

Madonsela also found that Motsoeneng had lied when he claimed to have a matric qualification, and had irregularly increased the salaries of certain employees, bloating the SABC's salary bill by R29-million.

But in a statement read out in the Cape Town High Court yesterday, Muthambi defended her decision to ratify Motsoeneng's permanent appointment, saying he was the right man for the job and that "staff morale and labour relations have improved" at the broadcaster under his watch.

Among his accomplishments, Muthambi said, were:

Saving the public broadcaster from the brink of financial collapse in 2009;

• Making quicker repayment of a government-guaranteed loan and thus saving the SABC R45-million in interest;
• Overseeing the SABC's launch of its 24-hour news channel; and
• Devising a revenue-generation and cost-saving strategy that brought more than R2-billion to the broadcaster.

Muthambi was responding to the DA's court application to have Motsoeneng's appointment set aside.

Despite the public protector's findings, Motsoeneng was given permanent status in July. The DA has cited Muthambi, the SABC board and Motsoeneng as respondents in the application.

"In 2009 [the SABC] was on the brink of financial collapse," Muthambi said in court papers. "The financial condition of the [corporation] has remarkably improved and is now healthy. Staff morale and labour relations have improved to a level [at which] there is stability."

Vincent Maleka, SC, for Muthambi, said the DA's application was flawed and "immature", and asked the court to dismiss it with costs.

"Motsoeneng will be suspended with pay and the SABC will have to also pay an acting COO," said Maleka. "This is a time when one needs to be frugal with state resources."

Madonsela, who has been cited as a respondent as an interested party, hit back. Her counsel, Etienne Labuschagne, SC, said disregarding her report would be unconstitutional.

"It has been mentioned that the minister and the public protector will be meeting [about the report]. That is not the case; [Muthambi] had to be subpoenaed," said Labuschagne. "There is no indication that the findings of the public protector are irrational or that they are based on unsound evidence."

Judge Anton Schippers reserved judgment.

But yesterday Madonsela and Muthambi issued a joint statement in which they said they had met in Pretoria to discuss Motsoeneng's appointment.

"The meeting was cordial, fruitful and informative on the mandate of the public protector vis-à-vis the role and functions of the minister and her department with regard to the investigation.

"Both ... agreed on a way forward in addressing the matter."