Hlaudi fails to put stop to disciplinary hearing

CONTROVERSIAL former SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng failed in a last minute bid to halt a disciplinary hearing that may result in his dismissal.

Motsoeneng is facing charges of bringing the SABC into disrepute following a lengthy and bizarre media conference last month. In it he railed against the SABC board for planning to scrap the 90% local music policy he had implemented.

The hearing‚ which was meant to begin at 3pm yesterday‚ descended into four hours of deliberation over whether it would take place. Motsoeneng’s lawyer, Zola Majavu, said his client was not opposed to being disciplined‚ but wanted the hearing combined with a hearing into a previous allegation of misconduct which stemmed from findings in a report by former public protector Thulu Madonsela.

“We run the risk that they will fire him for this and if they fire him‚ he doesn’t get a chance to vindicate himself on the public protector’s report‚” Majavu said.

Motsoeneng on Tuesday filed papers in the High Court in Cape Town saying Madonsela’s 2014 findings had “stunted” his career progression.

No date has been set for a hearing of the case which was filed on a semi-urgent basis.

The hearing is expected to begin at 11.30am today‚ if Motsoeneng chooses not to bring another legal challenge. — TMG