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The SABC board will appear before Parliament’s portfolio committee on communications today where it is expected to be dissolved because of its decision to reappoint former chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng in an executive post.
Here’s what you need to know about the SABC saga:
» ANC chief whip in Parliament, Jackson Mthembu, told City Press that the board would be dissolved by the committee and Parliament will then confirm the committee’s decision after the recess. He said “the reappointment of Motsoeneng is nothing more than disrespect for the Supreme Court of Appeal’s ruling.” Last month, the Supreme Court of Appeal rejected Motsoeneng’s bid for leave to appeal against a November 2015 Western Cape High Court ruling declaring his appointment as COO irrational and setting it aside. Mthembu said he would be at today’s meeting. He also said Parliament would be failing in its responsibility if it allowed the “deteriorating situation” at the SABC to continue.
» Motsoeneng has been fully backed by the board and this is not expected to change today. He will also be supported by the Ses’khona Peoples Rights Movement. Its leader Andile Lili said Motsoeneng was a “victim of white monopoly capital”. Lili warned that the movement would go to Parliament today to warn the ANC not to misinterpret the court ruling on Motsoeneng.
» The DA says it will pursue legal action if Parliament does not dissolve the SABC board. “It has become patently clear that the board of the SABC only serves to further the interests of the ANC, the Communications Minister Faith Muthambi, and Hlaudi Motsoeneng, and is not dedicated – as required by the Broadcasting Act – to fairness, freedom of expression, the right of the public to be informed, and openness and accountability,” said James Selfe, the DA’s Federal Executive chairperson.
» Today’s committee meeting is expected to last for five hours. The SABC board will first have to answer whether they implemented Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report on Motsoeneng. Motsoeneng, who was the acting COO when the report was released in February 2014, was appointed permanently six months later. In the report, Madonsela found that Motsoeneng had lied about his qualifications when he applied for the position of COO, that he hiked his salary from R1.5m to R2.4m in one year, and purged senior staff. Last week, City Press reported that Motsoeneng had scored a massive R11.4 million bonus.
» Last night, the ANC replaced three of its MPs on the communications committee. Maesela Kekana, Mogotle Nkadimeng and Nokuzola Ndongeni were replaced by Mandisa Matshoba, Sisisi Tolashe and Mondli Gungubele, respectively. Gungubele is the former Ekurhuleni mayor.
