Buying SABC ad space making Hlaudi arrogant – Numsa

Jenna Etheridge

SAB Miller signs the memorandum. (News24)

Cape Town – Businesses that advertise with the SABC are making the broadcaster’s former chief operating officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, big-headed, Numsa said on Wednesday.

“Big businesses are giving money for Hlaudi to do this nonsense,” National Union of Metalworkers of SA regional secretary Vuyo Lufele said.

He was part of a group of about 50 protesters who marched in Cape Town against those advertising with the broadcaster.

“By making adverts go through the SABC, they are making Hlaudi arrogant.”

He said over 26 000 of their members in the province supported the Right2Know’s campaign against the broadcaster.

“South Africa wants to know everything that is happening. We must be clear that Hlaudi will go down.”

Memorandum

Reading a memorandum in front of the Cape Chamber of Commerce, Right2Know Western Cape organiser Vainola Makan said some businesses were encouraging the current crisis caused by SABC management.

The campaign wanted businesses to withdraw their support until meaningful steps were put in place to ensure proper governance at the SABC, and to stop “censorship and intimidation of workers”.

Protesters carried posters stating “Hlaudi= Delusional physcotic cheat” [sic] and “Save the SABC: Business must stand up!”

Part of the group’s demands was that Motsoeneng “leave for good”.

Representatives from the chamber and Absa accepted the memorandum.

Makan said SABMiller and Telkom were some of the businesses who had not responded to their invitation to receive the memorandum.

A line of public order police stood in front of the building, on the foreshore.

“The SABC crisis runs very deep,” Makan shouted over the loudspeaker.

“He is back today and he has got himself a new job, which means he is still in charge.”

The broadcaster had the responsibility to provide the poor with access to information, she said.

“When they press that button on SABC news, they expect the truth. But Hlaudi is censoring our news,” said Makan.

Demands

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The group warned that businesses had 14 days to respond to their demands.

Last Monday, the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed Motsoeneng’s application for leave to appeal against a November 2015 Western Cape High Court ruling that set aside his appointment as COO of the public broadcaster.

Following the SCA ruling, Motsoeneng reported for duty at the public broadcaster as an “ordinary employee”, his lawyer Zola Majavu said at the time.

On Tuesday, the broadcaster announced that Motsoeneng was back in his previous job as group executive of corporate affairs.

The Public Protector found in a report released in February 2014 that Motsoeneng had lied about his qualifications when he applied for the post of COO, that he hiked his salary from R1.5m to R2.4m in one year, and purged senior staff.

Despite these adverse findings, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi confirmed his permanent appointment by the board.

In November 2015, the Western Cape High Court found Motsoeneng’s appointment was irrational and unlawful and set it aside. The DA brought the application.

The DA got a court order forcing the SABC to hold a disciplinary hearing against him, but he was cleared of the charges in December 2015.

On May 23, Judge Dennis Davis dismissed his application for leave to appeal. Motsoeneng then approached the SCA.