Stop making Hlaudi drunk on power, R2K tells SABMiller
28 September 2016
Johannesburg - The Right2Know campaign on Wednesday called on SABC advertiser SABMiller to stop giving the broadcaster's former COO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, power.
"Stop making Hlaudi drunk on power. The snake won't stop, we are sick of his shit," R2K's Micah Reddy said after about 70 protesters marched through the streets of Johannesburg against companies advertising with the SABC.
Reddy said SABMiller and FNB should stop doing business with Motsoeneng.
Some of the protesters carried posters that read, "Hlaudi go to hell" and "I pray for the day my SABC will be free".
The marchers handed over a memorandum at FNB Bank City and SABMiller.
"Stop using our money to protect and support Motsoeneng and his ways," the movement's General Moyo said to the marchers.
Moyo said advertisers should listen to the communities and refrain from supporting the broadcaster.
"In Hlaudi's leadership there is a big mess, the banks should not be fooled by him."
The campaign demanded that the findings by the Public Protector and the rulings of the High Court and SCA remained against Motsoeneng.
"He must not be allowed to remain in any SABC position in an acting capacity," Reddy said.
Reddy said Motsoeneng was politically lucky.
"Hlaudi is there because he is doing the work of a corrupt and unaccountable faction," he said.
Motsoeneng's application for leave to appeal against a ruling to set aside his appointment as the COO at the public broadcaster was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Irrational and unlawful
Following the SCA ruling, Motsoeneng reported for duty at the public broadcaster as an "ordinary employee".
On Tuesday, the broadcaster announced that Motsoeneng was back in his old job as group executive of corporate affairs.
The Public Protector found in a report released in February 2014 that Motsoeneng had lied about his qualifications when he applied for the post of COO, that he hiked his salary from R1.5m to R2.4m in one year, and purged senior staff.
Despite these adverse findings, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi confirmed his permanent appointment by the board.
In November 2015, the Western Cape High Court found Motsoeneng's appointment was irrational and unlawful and set it aside. The DA brought the application.
The DA got a court order forcing the SABC to hold a disciplinary hearing against him, but he was cleared of the charges in December 2015.
On May 23 this year, Judge Dennis Davis dismissed his application for leave to appeal. Motsoeneng then approached the SCA.
This article first appeared on News24, see here.
