The South African Communist Party and the Congress of the People joined the voices calling for the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s chief operating officer (COO)‚ Hlaudi Motsoeneng‚ to be removed from his position.

The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on Monday dismissed Motsoeneng’s application for leave to appeal against a judgment of the high court in Cape Town‚ which found that his appointment as COO was invalid and set it aside.

In dismissing Motseoeneng’s application‚ the SCA said Motsoeneng’s application had no reasonable prospects of success.

In its statement‚ the SACP said it maintained Motsoeneng was appointed unfairly and that due processes were not followed.

 “The appointment was characteristic of favouritism in the form of a job reservation of a special type exclusively benefiting Motsoeneng with any suitably qualified candidate denied an equal right to apply‚” it said.

 The SACP said the best the SABC could do was to remove Motsoeneng from the position to avoid further embarrassment and follow the rule of law in filling this and other positions.

The Congress of the People also called on Motsoeneng to vacate the broadcasting seat immediately.

“Now that the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed his application for leave to appeal a High Court ruling‚ he must step down because his appointment was unlawful.”

Its spokesman Dennis Bloem said Motsoeneng knew that he did not have the necessary qualifications to occupy that high office.