‘Hard work should be rewarded’
THE NOTION that there were irregularities at play whenever black people earned more money should be dispelled, the SABC’s chief operating officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, said when asked about his salary increase of nearly R1 million.
“It is not a sin for a black person to earn more money, people… when you work hard at the SABC, you are rewarded,” he told journalists at a briefing in Joburg on the public broadcaster’s 2014/2015 financial report.
People were paid according to SABC policy, he said.
“If someone performs well, and comes up with a R1 billion revenue, why should we not reward them? The payments would be of grave concern if they were not in line with our policy on benefits and salary increases.”
The financial report showed the broadcaster incurred a R401m loss, while Motsoeneng’s annual pay package shot up to R3.78m a year.
His remuneration for 2014/15 includes a bonus of R279 000 and marks an increase of nearly R1m on what he earned before. Motsoeneng added that SABC employees came first before everything else, and that there were executives at the SABC who earned more than him.
“Employees come first, as long as they add value… but there are also regulations that govern compensation matters. I can tell you that some of the people I am with here earn more than I do,” he said, gesturing at chief executive officer Frans Matlala and chief financial officer James Aguma.