Motsoeneng must be fired in wake of SABC CEO’s resignation: DA

South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng should be fired at once‚ the Democratic Alliance said.

Acting group CEO Jimi Matthews’resignation was deeply concerning‚ said DA national spokesperson Phumzile van Damme on Monday.

“This resignation comes hot on the heels of several politically motivated suspensions of those who speak out against the embattled SABC COO‚ who has turned the public broadcaster into his own personal fiefdom hell-bent on reporting only good news about the ANC and President Jacob Zuma‚” she said.

“His most recent order and most arbitrary ban of negative stories about President Jacob Zuma typifies the clampdown in ethical and fair reporting which the DA has taken severe exception to and is currently monitoring any infractions during this election period with a view to requesting an investigation by Icasa’s Complaints and Compliance Committee (CCC) should these inequitable and bias editorial policies continue to erode the credibility of the SABC.”

Van Damme said the party would call for Motsoeneng “to be fired at once as we believe the erosion of the SABC can be laid squarely at his feet and those who seek to protect him”.

She questioned some of the draconian editorial policies adopted by the broadcaster‚ including a decision not to broadcast service delivery protests in order to preserve “national unity”.

Citing a string of alleged failures under the tenure of Motsoeneng‚ the DA said the broadcaster had:

- Earned a disclaimer of opinion from the Auditor-General;

- Entered into an unethical and financially dubious deal with MultiChoice;

- Staffed its upper management echelons with inadequately educated and experienced people;

- Maintained and planned to expand a financially unsustainable head-count;

- Fallen behind in the transition to digital terrestrial television; and

- Continued to lose audience share.

“It must never be forgotten that the Public Protector found that Mr Motsoeneng should be the subject of an independent disciplinary inquiry because the SABC lost millions in irregular handling of employment contracts under (his) watch‚” she said.

Motsoeneng‚ according to the party‚ had been allowed by successive boards to operate above the law and had fraudulently misrepresented his qualifications to the SABC.

“Allegations that Mr Motsoeneng’s salary progression was irregular were substantiated in that he received salary appraisals three times in one year as alleged‚ hiking his salary as executive manager (for) stakeholder relations from R1.5-million to R2.4-million‚” said Van Damme. – Tiso Black Star Group Digital