Hlaudi is 'still alive and kicking'

Former SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng is "still alive‚ kicking and powerful" and has come out guns blazing to defend the decisions he took at the public broadcaster‚ including implementing the 90% local content policy.

"Hlaudi is still alive and kicking‚ very powerful and decisive about everything happening around him and around South Africa‚" Motsoeneng said at a media briefing in Johannesburg on Thursday.

He said‚ contrary to media reports‚ the 90% local content policy had in fact generated revenue.

"I've been hearing people saying local content [policy] caused harm. Where is that evidence? Local content is generating revenue for that organisation.

"When I left the SABC‚ there was more than R800 million in the bank and you need R600 million to run the SABC.

"To dismiss Hlaudi is not delivering to South Africans."

He said the local content policy did not come "from the air" but was implemented to "promote culture".

"What caused harm at the SABC was not local content. All soapies that are doing well are local."

He said South Africans should embrace local content like other countries.

"When you go to China‚ they play their music. It's wrong that when I land at O.R. Tambo‚ I listen to Beyonce."

Motsoeneng was sacked by the SABC after being found guilty of misconduct for comments he made at a media briefing in which he criticised SABC board members and a parliamentary committee that was looking into alleged irregularities at the public broadcaster.