DA to challenge Motsoeneng’s re-appointment in court

The DA has instructed its legal team to take the SABC’s re-appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng as “acting” chief operations officer back to court.

Cape Town – The Democratic Alliance has instructed its legal team to take the SABC’s re-appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng as “acting” chief operations officer back to court, the party said on Sunday.

“We have been left with no other option following the deplorable decision taken by the SABC to undermine the Western Cape High Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal,” DA federal executive chairman James Selfe said.

The decision to reappoint Motsoeneng as COO in an “acting” capacity was a slap in the face of the rule of law and a desperate attempt to allow the “Hlaudi Motsoeneng wrecking ball to continue his disastrous reign at the public broadcaster”, he said.

Media reports had revealed that Motsoeneng received a R11.4 million bonus, only one chunk of an expected R33 million pay-out over the next three years. This was nothing more than SABC-endorsed plunder of its own resources to the benefit of just one man.

“This madness needs to be stopped. Our precious public resources should be spent on building a reputable, fair, and well-run public broadcaster, and not on the propping up of its single greatest impediment.

“The DA remains committed to ensuring that the rule of law and the decisions of our courts are respected. We will not allow for our Constitution to be trampled over and a key institution of state destroyed,” Selfe said.

Last week, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) dismissed with costs Motsoeneng’s application for leave to appeal a ruling by the High Court in Cape Town setting aside his permanent appointment as SABC COO.

In May, the High Court in Cape Town also dismissed with costs Motsoeneng and the SABC’s application for leave to appeal against the ruling.

In its ruling, the SCA said “the application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs on the grounds that there is no reasonable prospect of success in an appeal and there is no other compelling reason why it should be heard”.

African News Agency