Hlaudi's enforcers must be suspended

10 May 2017

Today the SABC interim board presented to the Portfolio Committee on Communications its progress with regards to implementing the recommendations of the SABC inquiry Ad Hoc Committee.

The DA is concerned that staff who were complicit and publicly supported the various bad decisions taken at the SABC by former COO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng – his so-called “enforcers” –remain employed at the SABC and have not been suspended.

The DA will, therefore, write to the chairperson of the board, Khanyisile Kweyama, to request that these staff members be subjected to urgent disciplinary hearings.

It was also quite clear during the meeting today that the interim board has been given the wrong information about the costs of the litigation by the former board Chair, Prof Mbulaheni Maguvhe. The true cost of Prof Maguvhe’s litigation must be made public and claimed back from him in his personal capacity.

The DA is, however, pleased with the progress the interim board has made within a short space of time.

Although there is still a lot that needs to be done, we are pleased with the positive developments announced by the board today, which include that:

- The Hlaudi Motsoeneg disciplinary inquiry is scheduled to begin on 17 May 2017;

- The controversial revised SABC editorial policy has been withdrawn, and the previous version will be in place while a public consultation process is begun afresh;

- The decision of the previous board to review the Public Protector’s report “When Governance and Ethics Fail” has been rescinded;

- Meetings have been requested with Multichoice and TNA about their respective contracts with the public broadcaster; and

- The permanent filling of the positions of GCEO, COO and CFO has been expedited.

The DA will continue to give the interim board its support where necessary as it continues on the momentous task of undoing years of flouting of legislation, the mismanagement of the SABC’s finances, wasteful expenditure and collapse of good governance at the public broadcaster.

We encourage it to conduct itself without fear or favour and raise the SABC to the public broadcaster all South Africans can be proud of.

Issued by Phumzile Van Damme, Shadow Minister of Communications, 10 May 2017