SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s attempt to appeal a court order against his appointment has been flatly rejected by the supreme court of appeal in Bloemfontein, a decision that the Democratic Alliance said on Monday should cost him his job.
“The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs on the grounds that there is no reasonable prospect of success in an appeal and there is no other compelling reason why it should be heard,” the court ruled on Monday.
Motsoeneng had sought leave to appeal a judgment handed down by high court judge Dennis Davis, which found that his appointment as permanent chief operating officer of the public broadcaster was “borne of irrationality”.
The Democratic Alliance, which had brought the original application, said on Monday that Motsoeneng effectively will not be able to use the courts for relief and “must vacate the SABC without delay”.
“Motsoeneng, communications minister Faith Muthambi and the SABC have been unsuccessful in almost all courts in which he has sought to keep his job,” said DA MP James Selfe.
“He and his band of protectors now need to abandon this abuse of our judicial system and the taxpayers’ money in which millions of rand have already been plundered,” he said.
“Indeed, the Western Cape high court already found that the three government respondents ignored the remedial action ordered by the public protector, which the supreme court of appeal slated as ‘irrational and unlawful’. To petition the supreme court for a second time with respect to this matter was in itself an irrational and desperate attempt by the SABC and minister Muthambi to protect a chief operating officer who has all but driven the public broadcaster into the ground.” — © 2016 NewsCentral Media