Former PP laughs off Hlaudi’s claims

FORMER public protector Thuli Madonsela has rubbished former SABC chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s claim at the Zondo commision of inquiry into state capture that he did not lie about his matric qualification.

During a press briefing at the University of KwaZulu-Natal where she was given an Honorary Law Doctorate for her fight against corruption, Madonsela insisted that Motsoeneng was guilty of lying about passing matric.

She also accused the SABC of having downgraded academic qualifications for the COO position “specifically” to accommodate him.

“The COO job had been advertised over the years with a requirement of not even a first degree, but a postgraduate degree, and for him it was pulled off and the requirements were diminished, and that was improper,” said Madonsela.

When asked to comment on Motsoeneng’s testimony in which he accused her of having destroyed his life, Madonsela laughed it off before saying:

“The less said about Hlaudi the better, as he knows the truth.

“The report specifies what he said to me and what documentation there was.

“But the truth is he did lie about having matric and he wrote down symbols as if he had a matric.

“He did say to the SABC that he was going to go and collect his symbols but he never produced them, and later he confirmed that he did not have matric,” said Madonsela.

She had published a report into the SABC in which she found that Motsoeneng should not have been employed at the corporation as he did not have a matric.

However, Motsoeneng insisted to Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo this week that he never lied about his matric.

“Those people (SABC) who have employed me, they know.

“It doesn’t go well with me when everyone, media and others, portray me as a liar, including (former) public protector (Thuli Madonsela). “It is an insult for people to say I lied about my matric.

Motsoeneng spent three days in the witness seat.

Madonsela, who produced the State of Capture report, which recommended the formation of the commission, said: “The Zondo Commission is doing a great job in uncovering what happened with regard to state capture and corruption”.

Motsoeneng responded to the latest comments by Madonsela, saying he had already testified before the commission and he would not respond further to her.

“If she wants to go and clarify issues let her approach the commission,” said Motsoeneng.

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The less said about Hlaudi the better, as he knows the truth

Thuli Madonsela

Former public protector