The SABC’s interim board has confirmed that it has withdrawn a decision by previous nonexecutive directors to appeal against the public protector’s damning 2014 report on governance lapses at the broadcaster‚ which led to former chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s fall from grace.
Interim board members and SABC acting CEO James Aguma briefed members of Parliament’s communications portfolio committee on Wednesday‚ on the broadcaster’s corporate plan for the financial years 2017-18 to 2019-20‚ and key board decisions taken to date.
Interim board chairperson Khanyisile Kweyama told MPs that a decision had been taken not to proceed with cases that did not add any value to the public broadcaster.
“We discussed this extensively and we have decided not to proceed with the review application‚” said Kweyama.
The board would engage with the public protector on any concerns regarding the report‚ she said. “Going to court was not the right thing‚” she said.
The board’s decision not to proceed with the appeal‚ could signal the end at the SABC for Motsoeneng‚ who has largely been blamed for most of the crises at the public broadcaster.
Most members of the previous board‚ which collapsed towards the end of 2016‚ fought hard to retain Motsoeneng‚ but in December‚ the High Court in Cape Town ruled that he should not occupy any position at the SABC unless the public protector’s report was set aside or new disciplinary processes against him were finalised.
The public broadcaster and Motsoeneng challenged the ruling‚ but the application for leave to appeal was dismissed by the same court earlier in 2017.
Kweyama said Motsoeneng would face a disciplinary hearing in coming weeks‚ based on the recommendations of the public protector’s report.
Motsoeneng‚ who is currently on suspension‚ will also face a separate hearing next week for the media conference he held in April‚ in which he criticised the board and discussed SABC issues in breach of the public broadcaster’s code of conduct.
The report by the public protector said that Motsoeneng had fabricated a matric qualification‚ purged staff who disagreed with him and increased his salary irregularly‚ from R1.5m to R2.4m in a year. The public protector recommended that he be disciplined‚ but the SABC went on to confirm his appointment as chief operating officer.
TMG Digital
SABC board will not appeal against damning public protector report on lapses at broadcaster
The SABC’s interim board has confirmed that it has withdrawn a decision by previous nonexecutive directors to appeal against the public protector’s damning 2014 report on governance lapses at the broadcaster‚ which led to former chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s fall from grace.
Interim board members and SABC acting CEO James Aguma briefed members of Parliament’s communications portfolio committee on Wednesday‚ on the broadcaster’s corporate plan for the financial years 2017-18 to 2019-20‚ and key board decisions taken to date.
Interim board chairperson Khanyisile Kweyama told MPs that a decision had been taken not to proceed with cases that did not add any value to the public broadcaster.
“We discussed this extensively and we have decided not to proceed with the review application‚” said Kweyama.
The board would engage with the public protector on any concerns regarding the report‚ she said. “Going to court was not the right thing‚” she said.
The board’s decision not to proceed with the appeal‚ could signal the end at the SABC for Motsoeneng‚ who has largely been blamed for most of the crises at the public broadcaster.
Most members of the previous board‚ which collapsed towards the end of 2016‚ fought hard to retain Motsoeneng‚ but in December‚ the High Court in Cape Town ruled that he should not occupy any position at the SABC unless the public protector’s report was set aside or new disciplinary processes against him were finalised.
The public broadcaster and Motsoeneng challenged the ruling‚ but the application for leave to appeal was dismissed by the same court earlier in 2017.
Kweyama said Motsoeneng would face a disciplinary hearing in coming weeks‚ based on the recommendations of the public protector’s report.
Motsoeneng‚ who is currently on suspension‚ will also face a separate hearing next week for the media conference he held in April‚ in which he criticised the board and discussed SABC issues in breach of the public broadcaster’s code of conduct.
The report by the public protector said that Motsoeneng had fabricated a matric qualification‚ purged staff who disagreed with him and increased his salary irregularly‚ from R1.5m to R2.4m in a year. The public protector recommended that he be disciplined‚ but the SABC went on to confirm his appointment as chief operating officer.
TMG Digital
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos