Hlaudi’s demise

HLAUDI Motsoeneng loved press conferences. He hosted them regularly and gave us a glimpse into the colourful character he called Hlaudi. The end of his stint at the SABC also came at a press conference, only this time it wasn’t Motsoeneng who called it, but Khanyisile Kweyama, the SABC interim board chairperson.

Motsoeneng’s reign at the SABC started about six years ago when he was appointed acting chief operating officer at the broadcaster.

Supported by Faith Muthambi, the former communications minister, he soldiered on despite various courts having found he was not legally entitled to hold any position at the SABC.

During this time, the corporation moved from one crisis to another.

Motsoeneng’s end came when a disciplinary hearing found him guilty of bringing the SABC into disrepute and causing irreparable damage. The hearing was chaired by advocate Nazeer Cassim and it concluded its work last week.

As things went, it was ultimately Hlaudi who caused Hlaudi’s demise.

A few weeks ago, he called a media briefing to criticise the newly appointed interim board, his new boss. He did so while he was on suspension. He also took the opportunity to praise the good work he did, even though the SABC is now in financial difficulties and in need of a bailout from the government.

KWEYAMA was business-like at the press conference she hosted. “Suffice to say, Mr Motsoeneng’s dismissal has been accepted by the board,” she said. It will now be left to her and other members of the board to clean up the considerable mess that the SABC is in. Motsoeneng’s exit is part of a trend involving those who once thought they were untouchable.

Earlier this month, the acting tenure of Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane came to an end.

The former top cop was being investigated on allegations of corruption by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).

Berning Ntlemeza, the head of the Hawks, is another to be side-lined after the courts ruled his appointment was invalid.

Meanwhile at Eskom, Brian Molefe has been fired as chief executive and now Ben Ngubane, the chairman, has resigned. One thing is clear – the tide is turning against many of those who were once considered untouchable.