MORE HLAUDI DRAMA
ANC Youth League president Collen Oros Maine has allegedly become the latest victim of the deposed SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
Maine was allegedly barred from participating on the SABC current affairs show
Question Time, presented by Mpho Tsedu, tailored to discuss Motsoeneng s future.
A top SABC official, who didn t want to be named for fear of victimisation, confirmed Maine and Broadcasting, Electronic, Media & Allied Workers Union president Hannes du Buisson were invited by the show s executive producer Mwaba Phiri as guests to discuss allegations that the SABC disrespected the rule of law by appointing Motsoeneng as the corporation s executive for corporate affairs.
But Maine, who was previously seen as Motsoeneng s blind supporter, was rejected by SABC head of news Simon Tebele, allegedly at the behest of Motsoeneng.
This because the SABC was worried Maine was fickle and would echo the sentiments of ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu who called for an investigation of the board for appointing Motsoeneng as an executive without advertising the position. Mthembu made the call a few hours before the show.
Tebele marched into Phiri s office and ordered him to remove Maine and replace him with our spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago. He also ordered that Hlaudi s critic Hannes also be removed from the guest list.”
The official said Du Buisson was replaced by Hlaudi defender Paul Ngobeni and Friends of Hlaudi leader Ernest Moikangoa.
Basically, the show comprised Hlaudi s supporters and anybody who was anti-Hlaudi or suspected to have taken a hostile stance against him was removed from the list of invited guests.”
The official also said Phiri stormed out of his office and went home after Tebele ordered him to effect the changes.
The show went on without the executive producer. It was run by the head of news.”
The official said Phiri wrote a letter to his line manager Nothando Maseko on Thursday and complained of undue interference. But she told him there was no interference.”
SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago downplayed the incident. SABC is the public broadcaster and allows anybody to participate in our programmes when the opportunity arises.
News and current affairs, like any newsroom environment, is dynamic and directed by breaking news. Stories are being changed at any time, even when we are on air. We cannot be rigid when there is an unfolding urgent scenario,” he said.
He denied he was forced to replace Maine and refuted allegations that Motsoeneng interfered in the production of the show.
Maine and Du Buisson could not be reached for comment before going to press.