Hlaudi – one hit after the other in the boxing ring

13 June 2017

Trade union Solidarity today welcomed the dismissal of Hlaudi Motsoeneng, the SABC’s former Chief Operating Officer.

This follows after Khanyisile Kweyama, the SABC Interim Board Chairperson, said on Monday that Motsoeneng was fired by the Board after a disciplinary hearing where he was found guilty of dishonouring the Public Broadcaster's name and causing his employer irrevocable damage.

According to Juran van den Heever, Communications Manager at Solidarity, Solidarity is also awaiting a court date after Hlaudi Motsoeneng has been added as a respondent in the trade union’s case for a costs order against the SABC.

The Labour Court ruled in 2016 that the SABC 8 was fired unlawfully, and the applications of both Solidarity and the Broadcasting, Electronic, Media & Allied Workers Union (Bemawu), each representing four of the SABC employees, to have the journalists reappointed, were granted with costs. Solidarity argued that Motsoeneng should be held personally accountable for the decision to dismiss the journalists.

“Motsoeneng must explain to the Court why he shouldn’t be held personally accountable for the unlawful dismissal of the journalists. There is no reason why the tax payer should pay for this,” Van den Heever explained.

“If the Court finds that Motsoeneng should indeed be held accountable, he will once again receive a knock-out in the boxing ring.”

Issued by Juran van den Heever, Communications manager, Solidarity, 13 June 2017