Motsoeneng ‘doesn’t understand’ SABC board selection

PARLIAMENT has hit back at beleaguered Hlaudi Motsoeneng for questioning the process of the institution in appointing the SABC board.

Chairman of the portfolio committee on communications Humphrey Maxegwana said yesterday there was nothing wrong with the process.

This week Motsoeneng, who is now the head of corporate affairs at the broadcaster, criticised the process, saying it was was wrong and must be scrapped.

He said members of the committee appointed people who were serving their political interests.

But Maxegwana said this was untrue and Motsoeneng did not understand the process.

He said Parliament had processes to appoint the SABC board and the president gave his final approval to the board.

Maxegwana said if Mot- soeneng felt the process was wrong, the president was wrong in approving the board.

“We are representatives of the people of South Africa in Parliament,” he said.

Motsoeneng attacked Parliament and ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu over the SABC.

His attack comes a few days before Parliament begins an inquiry into the SABC board’s fitness to hold office. There are now three remaining board members who will face the inquiry, after former deputy chairwoman Leah Khumalo resigned a week ago.

Krish Naidoo and Vusi Mavuso resigned from the board during a hearing in Parliament a few weeks ago. Others who left include Rachel Kalidass, Ronnie Lubisi and the late Hope Zinde.

All three had complained they were purged because they did not back the appointment of Motsoeneng.

Maxegwana said the inquiry would be held over three days from November 8-11.

Parliament’s legal services has interviewed 18 witnesses who will give evidence against the remaining board members.

Maxegwana would not give the names of the witnesses, but said they include former group executives and ex-SABC board members.

In her report in 2014 former public protector Thuli Madon- sela found Motsoeneng had purged many staff members at the SABC.

The SABC has posted a loss of R411 million in the past financial year.

This was an increase over the financial loss of R395m in the 2014/15 financial year and a loss of more than R500m in the previous year.

The auditor- general has also given the SABC qualified audit opinions in the past five years.