Court battle looms

MVUZO Mbebe, the man who was promised Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s job at the SABC, is preparing to go to court to challenge the latter’s appointment because Communications Minister Faith Muthambi has ignored him.

Mbebe’s lawyer, Mncedisi Ndlovu, said Muthambi had failed to respond to a letter sent on the Thursday after Motsoeneng’s appointment.

Mbebe was offered the chief operating officer post in 2007, but a previous SABC board overturned the decision.

In 2008, he obtained a court interdict preventing the appointment of a permanent chief operating officer.

But Motsoeneng was appointed last week, a move endorsed by Muthambi.

Mbebe had reached a payout agreement with former minister Yunus Carrim, who was removed from his post after the May elections. The settlement had not been finalised by the time he had left the government.

“We have written to the minister [Muthambi] to say that she must perform according to the agreement, failing which we will go to court. She has not responded,” said Ndlovu.

Muthambi has until August 10 to respond.

“It’s either the minister is in contempt of court, or she has not finalised the settlement agreement. She must choose one of the two. There is an interdict against the SABC not to appoint a COO. It’s either she is contempt of court or, if she says there is an agreement, she must find it.”

Muthambi had not responded to written questions at the time of going to press.