The heat's on Hlaudi: Former SABC chief to face the music after hearing refuses to throw him a lifeline

18 May 2017 - 08:13 By NEO GOBA and BABALO NDENZE
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Controversial former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng might finally have to face the music after a last-minute bid to halt a disciplinary hearing failed last night.

Motsoeneng is facing charges of bringing the SABC into disrepute when he spoke at a lengthy and bizarre press conference he convened last month.

At the press conference, he railed against the SABC board for planning to scrap his 90% local music policy.

The hearing, which was to have begun at 3pm yesterday, descended into four hours of deliberation about whether it should take place.

Motsoeneng's lawyer, Zola Majavu, explained that his client was not opposed to being disciplined but wanted the hearing on the misconduct charge combined with a hearing on a previous allegation of misconduct stemming from the findings of former public protector Thuli Madonsela.

  • SABC advertises position of COO‚ CEOThe SABC is on the hunt for a new chief operating officer to replace its controversial former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

"We want them to be combined; not to do this one and then another one. We run the risk that they will fire him for this and if they fire him, he doesn't get a chance to vindicate himself on the public protector's report," Majavu said.

WATCH: TOP 10 Hlaudilusional moments from Motsoeneng's media briefing

 

 

Motsoeneng feels so strongly about clearing his name that he has gone to court. On Tuesday he filed papers in the Cape Town High Court in which he claimed Madonsela's 2014 report had "stunted" his career.

No date has been set for the High Court hearing, which was filed as semi-urgent.

Madonsela found that Motsoeneng's employment by the SABC was irregular because he had lied to the corporation about his qualifications by fabricating matric exam symbols.

  • SABC bleeding as Hlaudi’s 90% local content policy costs dearly and audience goes awolA cash strapped SABC has admitted in Parliament that it is not only facing a financial crisis but its flagship commercial television and radio stations are fast losing audiences.

"The very nature of that office (the public protector) is that its conclusions hold weight in the public discourse," Motsoeneng says in his court papers. "As the DA argued, I am 'unemployable' for so long as its conclusions stand.

"My further career progression is thus stunted until the issues raised by the public protector are finalised."

He has criticised the current disciplinary hearing at the SABC, calling it "an abuse [of process] stemming from ulterior motives".

Hearing chairman Nazeem Cassim was reluctant yesterday to postpone the matter.

The SABC has argued that the proceedings should go ahead because there is no basis for a postponement.

  • SABC board will not appeal damning public protector report on lapses at broadcasterThe SABC’s interim board has confirmed that it has withdrawn a decision by previous non-executive directors to appeal against the public protector’s damning 2014 report on governance lapses at the broadcaster‚ which led to former chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s fall from grace.

After hours of discussion, Cassim said the hearing should start - but both sides then asked for time to prepare. The hearing is now expected to begin at 11.30am today, provided that Motsoeneng does not come up with another legal challenge.

Motsoeneng's lawyer, Zola Majavu, has left the door open for another challenge.

  • In parliament yesterday, SABC chief financial officer and acting CEO James Aguma came in for severe criticism.

Parliament's standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) heard that he had filed an affidavit in support of Motsoeneng at the disciplinary hearing and had given permission for the press conference to be convened.

DA MP Tim Brauteseth called for Aguma to be sanctioned immediately.

  • Hlaudi is the ‘father of transformation’‚ student leader saysFormer SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng has been described by a student leader as the "father of transformation".

Brauteseth said Aguma had told the communications portfolio committee last week that he did not authorise Motsoeneng's press conference "and therefore he lied in parliament and that's a criminal act".

"Suspend Aguma today," Brauteseth told Communications Minister Ayanda Dlodlo.

The ANC has called for the interim SABC board to act against Aguma.

"Mr Aguma has been at the centre of expenditure and procurement irregularities at the SABC. He has shown complete disregard for parliament and the interim board.

"He has conveniently been booked off sick every time he is called to account to Scopa. We take serious exception to Mr Aguma's evasion of parliament," ANC MP Mnyamezeli Booi said.

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