Hlaudi Motsoeneng takes SCA punitive cost order to ConCourt
7 June 2018
Former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng will be taking the punitive cost order, by the Supreme Court of Appeal, for him to pay the legal fees for respondents (SABC journalists) to the Constitutional Court.
The Supreme Court ruled in May that Motsoeneng's application for leave to appeal had been "struck from the roll for want of jurisdiction". It also ruled that the "applicant [Motsoeneng] pays the respondents' costs on an attorney-client scale".
Speaking to News24 on Wednesday, Motsoeneng said he maintained that he had not been involved in dismissing the journalists, but said he respected court processes.
"I have already instructed my lawyers to prepare documents to go to the Constitutional Court, because I think we have a strong case, but I don't want to deal with the merits of the case at this point. I want to deal with them when we're in court," Motsoeneng said.
In 2017, the Labour Court found Motsoeneng liable to pay for the legal costs associated with the case regarding the public broadcaster's controversial ban on the broadcasting of protest action.
The ban led to eight journalists being fired after they protested against Motsoeneng's decision.
However, in a statement released by trade union Solidarity on Wednesday, it's chief executive Dirk Hermann said the union would proceed to serve and implement the warrant of execution granted to it, with a view to have Motsoeneng's assets seized.
"In view of the fact that our demand for costs has been vindicated, we would now also be in a position to demand recovery for more costs.
"What Motsoeneng has to realise now is that he cannot wear us out by carrying on with litigation, but that, in the end, he will have to own up for the damage caused to so many.
"In his efforts to evade justice he has painted himself into a corner, but has now exhausted all means at his disposal," Hermann said.
