Maroleng backs down
Sacked SABC boss withdraws his arbitration case against the public broadcaster
IN A SURPRISING move, fired SABC chief operating officer Chris Maroleng withdrew his arbitration case against the public broadcaster yesterday.
Maroleng and the public broadcaster were supposed to have a showdown at the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) yesterday but withdrew the case.
Only his lawyers showed up to the hearing but they declined to comment on the matter.
Maroleng, whose contract was terminated with immediate effect after he was found guilty in an internal disciplinary hearing in April, had vowed to fight his axing but backed down yesterday.
SABC spokesperson Vuyo Mthembu said: “I can confirm that the SABC was in attendance at the CCMA in relation to Mr Chris Maroleng. I can also confirm that Mr Maroleng has withdrawn the matter at the CCMA.”
The CCMA matter ran parallel to the Labour Court application Maroleng made in September against the SABC in which he was demanding the court to declare his dismissal as unlawful and for it to be set aside. It was unclear if this would still continue as Maroleng didn’t answer calls and texts sent to him yesterday.
He was found guilty of three out of the four charges he faced at a disciplinary hearing.
He was found guilty of approving a monthly acting allowance of just over R15 000 for an employee, despite a written human resources decision declining the allowance.
He was also found guilty of two charges relating to protecting of former acting group executive for sport Marcia Mahlalela.
Mahlalela quit before facing a disciplinary hearing into the hiring of sportscaster Robert Marawa on a R5.5 million three-year contract.
Maroleng wasn’t found guilty for the way in which he dealt with Mahlalela’s resignation.
In a submission to the SABC’s board after being found guilty, he stated that he wanted to be given a final written warning for his transgressions.
Maroleng said that he was the breadwinner and had three young children aged between 13 and two.
His expenses include school fees, two properties and two cars.
“A dismissal in the circumstances will be catastrophic for Maroleng his family,” the submission stated.
He also believed he should be given a final warning as he was never suspended from his position.
“Maroleng is playing a significant executive role for the SABC in relation to the broadcasting of the 2019 national and provincial elections. Maroleng is playing a significant role in the claw back campaign with a view to reducing the SABC’s revenue gap,” his papers stated.