Time to axe Motsoeneng – for good

HLAUDI Motsoeneng is a dangerous person who should never again be allowed to ascend to a position of power.

It was bad enough that the deposed former SABC strongman decided to hold a media briefing in the shadow of the corporation that he ran as if it were his personal fiefdom. But even worse – and indeed bizarre – was the display of narcissism that he put on for a group of singing, chanting hangers-on, as well as a television audience of several million on Wednesday.

Motsoeneng still does not believe that he did anything wrong while running the SABC. And the fact that he is still, technically, a staff member of the national broadcasting corporation did not stop him from tearing into the recently appointed interim board.

He said it lacked integrity and he lashed out at the ad hoc committee which investigated the goings-on at the SABC, and which blamed him for much of the corporation’s troubles.

“They said one man took all the decisions. That means I’m a powerful man,” he said. What utter arrogance.

At the SABC, Motsoeneng was no more than a bully who rode roughshod over everyone who dared to criticise him – because he knew he had the backing of people at the highest level, including the then minister of communications, Faith Muthambi.

Many of the decisions this Mr Know-ItAll made were deplorable – and even tragic. These included suspensions and sackings of some of the SABC’s most talented journalists.

His unilateral declaration that 70 percent of the SABC’s news coverage had to consist of good news was disastrous. Even more so, was his instruction that the play-lists of all its radio stations consist of 90 percent local content.

Despite being warned that this decision could destroy some of the corporation’s radio stations, such as the Indian-music oriented Lotus FM in KwaZulu-Natal, he persisted, telling those who criticised this decision that they would never win.

Motsoeneng’s reckless stubbornness virtually destroyed Lotus FM.

It sticks in the craw that this man earned – and in fact is still earning – R4 million a year.

We call on the SABC’s interim board to act quickly to terminate his services.

And we hope that he is never again allowed anywhere near an executive position in the public service.