Saturday, July 5, 2014

SABC chairperson Zandile Tshabalala tells parliament: There's no reason for the SABC to fire the matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng.


The SABC chairperson Ellen Zandile Tshabalala told parliament's portfolio committee on Friday evening that the SABC and the SABC board sees no reason to suspend or fire the famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng who is implicated in serious maladministration as acting chief operating officer (COO) and lied on record about his qualifications.

The Public Protector in a final and scathing report on the SABC and Hlaudi Motsoeneng found that:

■ Hlaudi Motsoeneng "admitted, during his recorded interview, that he had falsified his matric qualifications".

■ Hlaudi Motsoeneng "should never have been appointed" at the SABC.

■ Hlaudi Motsoeneng was involved in 3 "irregular" salary increases from R1,5 milion per year to R2,4 million in a single year.

■ Hlaudi Motsoeneng got 3 "irregular" salary increases from R1,5 milion per year to R2,4 million in a single year.

■ Hlaudi Motsoeneng shows "a lack of ethical conduct".

■ Hlaudi Motsoeneng irregularly and rapidly increased the salaries of various staff members, resulting in the SABC's salary bill escalating by R29 million more than it should have.

■ Hlaudi Motsoeneng was "directly involved with the termination of the employment of Bernard Koma, Hosia Jiyane, Sello Thulo, Montlenyane Diphoko, Mapule Mbatathi and Ntswoaki Ramaphosa who participated in Hlaudi Motsoeneng's disciplinary hearing held in Bloemfontein".

■ Hlaudi Motsoeneng did "gross fraudulent misrepresentation of facts by declaring himself to be in possession of a matric certificate obtained at Metsimantsho High" in QwaQwa, and made up symbols for a matric certificate he knew he couldn't produce.

■ The Public Protector's final report asked that the SABC remove Hlaudi Motsoeneng by 18 May - a date which has long since lapsed.


Ellen Zandile Tshabalala told parliament's portfolio committee on communications on Friday that "we [SABC board] don't have a basis for suspension because in our case he performs. He has even gone to a role which isn't his role of raising funding for the SABC".

The Public Protector's final report asked that the SABC remove Hlaudi Motsoeneng by 28 May - a date which has long since lapsed.

"If the Public Protector produces any suspicious information about any individual or business, it doesn't necessary mean it's Bible," said Ellen Zandile Tshabalala.