While the African National Congress (ANC) remained mum on Tuesday about the SABC’s decision to appoint Hlaudi Motsoeneng to another executive position, opposition political parties were frothing at the mouth over the public broadcaster’s decision.
This comes after the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on Tuesday announced that its embattled former chief operations officer (COO) would be reverting back to his old position as group executive of corporate affairs.
In that position, Motsoeneng will oversee all provincial offices of the SABC.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) said this SABC decision smacked of irregularity.
The DA’s federal council chairperson James Selfe said the speed and apparent secrecy with which the “process” was carried out raised questions about the credibility of the appointment hot off the heels of the Supreme Court Appeal (SCA)’s dismissal of leave to appeal.
The SCA recently denied Motsoeneng leave to appeal a high court ruling invalidating his permanent appointment as SABC’s COO two years ago.
“It is also particularly concerning because the CEO and acting COO are one and the same person – James Aguma. During the press conference it was also suggested that the board may not have been consulted on the appointment,” Selfe said in a statement.
“Although it is not entirely clear; it would appear that Bessie Tungwana was quickly smuggled out of her position as the Group Executive of Corporate Affairs and relocated to the Office of the CEO which would likely be a highly irregular circumnavigation of due appointment procedures.”
Selfe said the DA would be consulting with its lawyers and would brief the media on further steps to be taken in due course.
Meanwhile, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) made a call to dissolve the “politically compromised SABC Board”, saying it was again gravely concerned and disappointed by the lack of leadership it had shown.
IFP spokesperson on communications, Liezl van der Merwe, said SABC chairperson, Professor Mbulaheni Maguvhe, used this opportunity to reinstate Motsoeneng to his previous position instead of taking responsibility for the crisis at the broadcaster.
“Any senior position for Mr Motsoeneng at this point goes against the spirit and letter of the law. The IFP believes that the Board must now be held personally liable for the cost of defending Mr Motsoeneng in court, and also for the recent bonus he received,” van der Merwe said in a statement.
“Today’s decision goes against the wishes of concerned citizens and most political parties, including the ruling party. The IFP therefore believes that the current Board must be dissolved by Parliament and a new process must be embarked on to find a suitable Board.”
Van der Merwe said: “It is clear that the current Board was “politically compromised and run by a faction of the ANC, led by Minister [of Communications Faith] Muthambi, who is hellbent on destroying the public broadcaster’s image and credibility.”
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