Final curtain for SABC boss?
JOHANNESBURG: The public protector’s damning report on the SABC’s acting chief operations officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, has led to calls for him to be suspended or fired.
The Communications Ministry said yesterday the report would be studied. “We’ll consider it and, if necessary, refer it to our lawyers,” spokesman Siyabulela Qoza said.
It was the SABC board that mainly needed to act on the public protector’s findings, and the ministry would talk to the public broadcaster about it, he said.
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela criticised Motsoeneng and the SABC board over his irregular appointment and salary progression at the SABC.
Madonsela also found former communications minister Dina Pule had interfered unduly in the SABC’s affairs during her tenure.
“Her conduct amounts to abuse of power,” Madonsela said. She called on Communica- tions Minister Yunus Carrim to establish why group chief executives at the SABC could not function, and left prematurely, causing financial and operational strains.
“The board needs to study the report, then we can communicate later what will happen, because we only received it today like everyone else,” SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said.
The SABC lost millions of rand as Motsoeneng purged senior staff, Madonsela said.
Her report, titled When gov- ernance and ethics fail, indicates Motsoeneng’s involvement in the termination of numerous staffers’ services at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and other platforms.
“Mr Motsoeneng’s actions in respect of the suspensions and terminations (listed in the report), where evidence clearly shows his irregular involvement, constitutes improper conduct, abuse of power and maladministration,” said Madonsela.
A lengthy list is given in the report, citing names of staff members who were elbowed out of the SABC. In some of the cases, the SABC offered the departing employees 12 months’ payments in settlement of disputes.
“The substantial amounts of money paid to SABC employees as settlements during protracted suspensions, terminations, or long, drawnout labour dispute proceedings and litigation caused unnecessary and avoidable costs,” she said.
“The acts and omissions of the SABC management board in regard to the unnecessary and procedurally irregular suspensions, dismissals and forced resignations amount to fruitless and wasteful expenditure. Such action constitutes improper conduct and maladministration.”
She also found former communications minister Dina Pule had interfered unduly in the affairs of the SABC.
“She acted improperly in the manner in which she rejected the recommendations made by the board for the appointment of a chief financial officer (CFO) and orchestrated the inclusion of Ms (Gugu) Duda’s CV. Her conduct amounts to abuse of power.
“Mr (Themba) Phiri (the Communications Department’s acting deputy direc- tor-general) acted unlawfully in submitting Ms Duda’s CV to Mr Motsoeneng for her inclusion in the subsequent interview by the board.
“Mr Motsoeneng acted unlawfully by accepting the CV and ordering that Ms Duda be included and be interviewed after the selection process had been concluded,” said Madonsela.
Duda was appointed in February 2012.
Complaints against Motsoeneng were raised with Madonsela by former SABC staff – including former chief operations officer Charlotte Mampane and ex-SABC senior executive Phumelele Ntombela-Nzimande.
Madonsela recommended the SABC board initiate disciplinary measures against outgoing group chief executive Lulama Mokhobo for her improper conduct in approving Motsoeneng’s irregular salary increases.
“The allegation that Mr Motsoeneng’s salary progression was irregular is substantiated in that he received salary appraisals three times in one year as alleged, hiking his salary as executive manager for stakeholder relations from R1.5 million to R2.4m.”
Madonsela said the national broadcaster had been hounded by “pathological corporate governance deficiencies”.
Allegations that Motsoeneng committed fraud by stat- ing in his application form that he had completed matric at Metsimantsho High School in QwaQwa were also substantiated and his appointment was, therefore, irregular.
The DA said the report confirmed that the SABC had been plagued by incompetence, corruption and cadre deployment for years, and called for Motsoeneng’s immediate suspension.
“We call on Minister of Communications Mr Yunus Carrim… to instruct the SABC board to immediately suspend Mr Motsoeneng… spokeswoman Marian Shinn said. Cope also called on the SABC board to fire Motsoeneng.