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The SABC can “ill afford to lose a rare skill” such as chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
This is the view of veteran journalist and SABC acting chief executive, Jimi Matthews, in papers before the Supreme Court of Appeal.
In support of the decision by the SABC to petition the appeals court this week in yet another bid to retain the controversial chief operating officer in his post, Matthews said that since 2011, Motsoeneng had turned around the broadcaster’s finances due to his “unique leadership skills”.
Motsoeneng was seconded to act in the position in November 2011, when the SABC was “on the brink of collapse and virtually bankrupt, said Matthews in a letter to board chairperson Mbulaheni Obert Maguvhe. The SABC was under a government guaranteed loan, had negative cash reserves and “was on the brink of collapse and virtually bankrupt”.
“The chief operating officer managed to save the ship. For instance, the SABC had a turnover of R4.9 billion in 2011 and this has increased to R8 billion in 2016,” he said adding that cash reserves had also been turned around.
Matthews, who also submitted a supporting affidavit to the court, warned of “financial consequences, instability, loss of investor confidence and also of market share and valuable trade secrets” if Motsoeneng was not retained.
Major projects such as the digital migration roll-out, the 90% local content strategy and improvements in procurement processes would also be at risk, he said, adding that media reports concerning Motsoeneng were often untrue.
If Motsoeneng was paid commission for his innovations, he could claim R97 million, yet he had never asked for compensation, said Matthews.
The SABC’s decision to appoint Motsoeneng permanent chief operating officer two years ago, despite a damning report on his conduct by the public protector, prompted the Democratic Alliance to approach the courts for a review of the decision. The Western Cape High court ruled in its favour. Last month, Judge Dennis Davis dismissed with costs the SABC’s application for leave to appeal.
In her report When Government and Ethics Fail, Thuli Madonsela found that Motsoeneng had acted dishonestly and irregularly by, among other things, lying about his matric certificate and raising his salary and that of other employees.
In his affidavit, Maguvhe argued that the SABC was satisfied that Motsoeneng was the right person for the job and that another court would come to a different ruling than Davis.
Communications Minister Faith Muthambi has joined the SABC’s petition for leave to appeal.
