#HlaudiMustGo: DA calls on SABC to axe Hlaudi and dissolve Board
3 October 2016
Fellow South Africans,
We are gathered here outside the SABC Headquarters in Auckland Park to strengthen and reiterate our call for one simple act: the permanent and unconditional axing of Hlaudi Motsoeneng from the SABC.
The situation at the SABC has reached boiling point following last week’s announcement that Hlaudi Motsoeneng was appointed as Head of Corporate Affairs at the public broadcaster, despite a High Court order declaring him unfit.
As the Democratic Alliance (DA), we cannot stand back and watch the SABC fall to pieces as Hlaudi Motsoeneng continues to build a “corrosive atmosphere” at the public broadcaster.
Democrats, Hlaudi Motsoeneng needs no introduction. Rather, the burning question on everyone’s mind is how on earth this controversial figure is still employed by the SABC?
This one man wrecking ball has been on a path of destruction at the SABC ever since he was wrongfully appointed Chief Operations Officer (COO) some two years ago. And with the blessing of Communications Minister Faith Muthambi, and Jacob “uBaba” Zuma, Motsoeneng continues unfettered and untouchable.
Democrats, it is important to consider the very beginning of this matter; the genesis of the controversial Hlaudi Motsoeneng. You see, he didn’t just magically appear at the SABC. From day one, Hlaudi was given a mandate: do number one’s bidding, and you’ll have the power of being number one at the SABC.
Under Zuma’s instruction, Hlaudi Motsoeneng is on a mandate to successfully turn our public broadcaster into a state propaganda machine. We will not allow this to happen and for the ANC government to adopt apartheid style tactics.
State capture of the media serves an extremely vital purpose for a failing and unpopular government: to hide the truth and paint a false narrative of the real state of affairs.
You see, fellow South Africans, the power of censorship and state capture of the media is unrestrained. It starts with a few editorial decisions that seem justifiable, and next thing you know entire programmes are cancelled, journalists are fired, and the truth as to what is happening in our country is completely distorted for political gain.
What we are witnessing are the operations of a dictator. President Zuma knows that if you can control the airwaves, you can control the country. And in order to do this, Zuma requires an unbridled dictator. He has found that in Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
Fellow South Africans,
Hlaudi Motsoeneng was not employed by the SABC. He was deployed to the SABC.
This distinction is crucial to answer the questions we’ve all been asking ourselves.
When you are employed by the SABC, your prime duty is to further the legitimate interests of the SABC, and you are responsible for the success of the SABC. Your loyalty lies with the SABC.
But, when you are deployed to the SABC, well then things are very different. Your prime duty is to further the legitimate interests of whoever deployed you – in this case Jacob Zuma and the ANC. Your loyalty lies with them, not the SABC.
The SABC crisis under Hlaudi Motsoeneng is the archetypal case study of Jacob Zuma’s project of state capture.
The SABC joins the long line of captured institutions, including the Hawks, the NPA and SARS, which serve not the people of South Africa, but at the behest of President Jacob Zuma and the ANC.
And the outcome doesn’t hurt Jacob Zuma.
It doesn’t hurt Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
It doesn’t even hurt the ANC.
The outcome hurts the South African people and our infant democracy.
In Hlaudi Motsoeneng, we have an individual who has been found by the Public Protector and the Western Cape High Court to be dishonest, unfit for purpose and unlawfully appointed to the position of SABC COO. In fact, he was denied leave to appeal the Dennis Davis judgement in the Western Cape High Court setting aside his appointment as the permanent COO of the SABC. He has been defeated in the courts.
In the past financial year, he earned almost double what the President did, despite being in an unlawful position of employment. Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s salary was increased by almost half a million from R 3 784 000 to R 4 197 000 during the 2015/16 financial year, making him the highest paid executive at the SABC.
Moreover, under his watch, the SABC has suffered a net loss of R805 million over the past two years. That is almost R1 billion.
This is all in addition to Hlaudi’s project of censorship at the SABC, which has seen him fire journalists, ban entire shows, and rule certain content as “not government friendly” and therefore not suitable.
Motsoeneng has turned the SABC into his own personal fiefdom, to the detriment of our people and our country. He must be fired now. It is just that simple.
This matter is crucial for not just the SABC, but the State at large. There exists a court judgment against Hlaudi Motsoeneng, and that judgment must be respected and executed. It becomes very dangerous when organs of state start ignoring court orders. It is incumbent on the State and on the SABC to follow this court judgment.
As the Democratic Alliance, we are wholeheartedly committed to restoring the integrity and independence of the SABC, so that it can become a world class broadcaster which serves the people of South Africa – not the ANC. This cannot be achieved with Hlaudi Motsoeneng in the employ of the SABC.
To this end, we have drafted a memorandum addressed to the SABC’s Chair, Professor Mbulaheni Maghuve, calling for him to ensure Motsoeneng is fired immediately, and to dissolve the Board – which rehired Motsoeneng in his new role and is complicit in many of Motsoeneng’s shenanigans.
If Professor Maghuve does not act within 48 hours, the DA will be pursuing legal action in this regard. We have beaten Hlaudi in court before, and we’ll do it again.
It is possible for the SABC to be a public broadcaster South Africa can be proud of. The DA is committed to ensuring that this happens. It starts with axing Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
Issued by Mabine Seable, Spokesperson to the DA Leader, 3 October 2016
