Motshekga should ban Hlaudi from politicking at schools
2 Mary 2017
Tomorrow, the disgraced former SABC COO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, is scheduled to visit Eqinisweni Secondary School in Ivory Park, Tembisa.
According to the media invitation, Motsoeneng aims to “keep the youth of South Africa motivated to study and focus in prioritizing education and self-discipline.” He will also, apparently, “provide tips and strategies for studying”.
One wonders what study tips Motsoeneng can offer when he himself failed to obtain a matric, and was found by the Public Protector to have lied when he claimed that he had a matric qualification.
He has also not hidden his disdain for schooling, claiming that “too much education is dangerous…it’s like overdosing on your medicine”.
Motsoeneng is hardly a role model for any young person to emulate. Besides lying about this matric, he was found guilty of artificially inflating his SABC salary, purging and intimidating SABC staff members and running the public broadcaster into the ground.
More serious is the political nature of the event, which seems to be part of Motsoeneng's ongoing political campaign following his suspension from his position at the SABC.
As Motsoeneng said last month: “You may say you don’t want Hlaudi, it’s fine. But Hlaudi is going to lead you on another platform ...People are calling me to politics." The ANCYL in the Free State announced its intention to nominate him as a Member of Parliament, and Motsoeneng himself has stated that he will “take any leadership position in government.”
Section 33A of the South African Schools Act is quite clear that political activities during school time are prohibited. I have therefore written to Minister Angie Motshekga to request that she prevents Motsoeneng from conducting his political campaign in schools.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s toxic influence was felt at our public broadcaster for far too long. We cannot allow him to extend his tentacles into our public schools.
Issued by Gavin Davis, DA Shadow Minister of Basic Education, 2 May 2017
