The Democratic Alliance (DA) expects to know later this week precisely what kind of legal action it should take against the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and its former chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
“The DA has instructed our legal team to take the re-appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng as ‘acting’ COO back to court‚” DA federal executive chairman James Selfe said on Sunday.
“We have been left with no other option following the deplorable decision taken by the SABC to undermine the Western Cape High Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).”
On Monday‚ Selfe said that the DA will determine what kind of legal action should be taken‚ and which court should be approached‚ after the Western Cape High Court hands down a judgment in a separate stay application brought against the DA by the SABC.
“Last year in December‚ Motsoeneng had a so-called disciplinary hearing [at the SABC]. We regard that as a complete travesty of justice and a sham and took it on review‚” Selfe said.
The SABC then launched a stay application‚ asking the court to stop the DA’s lawsuit‚ pending the outcome of an application to review outgoing Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s 2014 findings relating to Motsoeneng’s appointment as COO.
In her report‚ titled “When Governance and Ethics Fail”‚ Madonsela found that Motsoeneng had lied about his matric qualifications and irregularly increased his salary. She recommended that legal action be taken against Motsoeneng as his appointment was unlawful.
Selfe said that he has been in contact with the court’s registrar and expects judgment in the stay application to be handed down this week‚ though the exact date is not yet clear.
The outcome of this case will inform the DA’s next legal move‚ he said.
On Sunday‚ Selfe lambasted an alleged bonus payment the SABC made to Motsoeneng for his role in brokering a deal between the public broadcaster and MultiChoice in 2013.
“Reports in the media today reveal that Motsoeneng received an R11.4-million bonus‚ only one chunk of an expected R33-million payout over the next three years. This is nothing more than SABC-endorsed plunder of its own resources to the benefit of just one man.”
The SCA last week dismissed an application for leave to appeal by Motsoeneng‚ bringing into effect the Western Cape High Court’s decision that his appointment as COO was highly irregular and must be set aside.
SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago has been approached for comment.
The Sunday Times reported that Kganyago had said “we are not at liberty to discuss board issues in the media” in response to questions on Mosoeneng’s alleged bonus. – TMG Digital
DA still mulling court action on ‘acting’ SABC COO
The Democratic Alliance (DA) expects to know later this week precisely what kind of legal action it should take against the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and its former chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
“The DA has instructed our legal team to take the re-appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng as ‘acting’ COO back to court‚” DA federal executive chairman James Selfe said on Sunday.
“We have been left with no other option following the deplorable decision taken by the SABC to undermine the Western Cape High Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).”
On Monday‚ Selfe said that the DA will determine what kind of legal action should be taken‚ and which court should be approached‚ after the Western Cape High Court hands down a judgment in a separate stay application brought against the DA by the SABC.
“Last year in December‚ Motsoeneng had a so-called disciplinary hearing [at the SABC]. We regard that as a complete travesty of justice and a sham and took it on review‚” Selfe said.
The SABC then launched a stay application‚ asking the court to stop the DA’s lawsuit‚ pending the outcome of an application to review outgoing Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s 2014 findings relating to Motsoeneng’s appointment as COO.
In her report‚ titled “When Governance and Ethics Fail”‚ Madonsela found that Motsoeneng had lied about his matric qualifications and irregularly increased his salary. She recommended that legal action be taken against Motsoeneng as his appointment was unlawful.
Selfe said that he has been in contact with the court’s registrar and expects judgment in the stay application to be handed down this week‚ though the exact date is not yet clear.
The outcome of this case will inform the DA’s next legal move‚ he said.
On Sunday‚ Selfe lambasted an alleged bonus payment the SABC made to Motsoeneng for his role in brokering a deal between the public broadcaster and MultiChoice in 2013.
“Reports in the media today reveal that Motsoeneng received an R11.4-million bonus‚ only one chunk of an expected R33-million payout over the next three years. This is nothing more than SABC-endorsed plunder of its own resources to the benefit of just one man.”
The SCA last week dismissed an application for leave to appeal by Motsoeneng‚ bringing into effect the Western Cape High Court’s decision that his appointment as COO was highly irregular and must be set aside.
SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago has been approached for comment.
The Sunday Times reported that Kganyago had said “we are not at liberty to discuss board issues in the media” in response to questions on Mosoeneng’s alleged bonus. – TMG Digital
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