SABC misses me, Hlaudi tells hearing
MOTSOENENG: SABC STRUGGLING, NOT BECAUSE OF HIS MISTAKES, BUT BECAUSE HE’S GONE
Motsoeneng says SABC is in trouble, because he is no longer there.
Denies 90% local content quota cost broadcaster R300 million.
Former SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng yesterday told the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), during his challenge to what he sees as his “unfair dismissal”, that he did not cost the SABC millions of rands in advertising revenue.
He claimed his introduction of a 90% local music quota had not lost the broadcaster any revenue and was beneficial.
“There is no evidence that I cost the SABC R300 million,” he said.
Current board member Krish Naidoo told the hearing on Tuesday that Motsoeneng had cost the SABC R300 million in advertising revenue and that SABC radio stations had lost listeners, too.
Motsoeneng is seeking to be reinstated as head of group corporate affairs at the parastatal.
He claimed his dismissal was politically motivated and that the SABC is in trouble, not because of his misconduct, but because he is no longer there.
Naidoo said Motsoeneng’s former position had been set aside by the court and would soon be filled.
Motsoeneng accused the SABC of having “motives” for rushing to fill the position.
He pointed out that a labour court judge had ruled “that if [I am] cleared, [I] should be given an opportunity to contest [my dismissal] as chief operating officer, [but] they have already filled that.
“They were not supposed to fill that position. They are trying to run so that before this hearing concludes, they have already filled those positions.”
Motsoeneng’s legal representative, advocate Kgomosoane Mathipa, crossexamined Naidoo, saying he had a fiduciary duty to recuse himself on issues around Motsoeneng’s disciplinary hearing, which Naidoo refutes.
A battle is ongoing between the former SABC COO and Naidoo, who said in 2016 he “warned the ANC about Hlaudi”.
Mathipa argued Naidoo was offended when Motsoeneng called a controversial press conference, to the point of threatening to sue him and that this warranted a recusal.
Naidoo countered by saying he had honoured his fiduciary duty to the SABC and that the board acted on legal rather than subjective advice.
Mathipa read out the minutes in which the board supported the 90% quota, but Naidoo said the meeting did not resolve to implement it. –