Hlaudi launches own party
Ex-SABC boss says he’s fit to be president
Former SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng formally enters the political arena as he launches his own party to contest next year’s elections. Motsoeneng confirmed to Sowetan yesterday that he would announce his new political party tomorrow, and that he has his sights on the Union Buildings.
“I am going to contest [against President Cyril] Ramaphosa because I want to be the president of the country,” Motsoeneng said.
“I don’t think Ramaphosa can defeat me, I am going to shock the country.”
The announcement comes at a time Motsoeneng is opposing an SABC high court application which seeks an interim order to stop its pension fund, a separate entity, from paying Motsoeneng his multimillion rand pension.
He was embroiled in another battle with the Special Investigating Unit, which is trying to recover more than R20m, including monies lost by the public broadcaster through unfair dismissal cases and alleged illegal appointments during Motsoeneng’s tenure. Yesterday, Motsoeneng said he was responding to calls from many people across the country who wanted him to contest the 2019 national polls. “You’ll be shocked that there are members of the ANC NEC supporting me. I can’t divulge their names until they join the movement,” Motsoeneng said. When asked about how he would navigate the funding issue for his party, Motsoeneng said: “I’m against people who use money going up and down campaigning by busing poor people using lots of money. “People know me, they know what I stand for and that I’m an implementor, they will vote for me,” he said. Asked about Motsoeneng’s latest move, political analyst Aubrey Mashiqi said: “I’m flabbergasted, that’s all I can say.”