The ANC Youth League on Sunday threw its weight behind former SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
“Whether there is matric or no matric, whatever you say, we want Hlaudi to be the COO of SABC,” the league’s spokesman Mlondi Mkhize told reporters following a two-day national executive committee meeting.
While the ANCYL noted and respected the supreme court of appeal’s ruling on Monday, it still believed the national broadcaster had performed well under his leadership.
The supreme court rejected Motsoeneng’s bid for leave to appeal against a high court ruling that set aside his permanent appointment as chief operating officer.
The broadcaster subsequently removed him from the position. On Tuesday, his lawyer, Zola Majavu, said Motsoeneng reported for work as an “ordinary employee”.
Despite this ruling, the SABC board had been asked to recommend to communications minister Faith Muthambi that she appoint former Motsoeneng as acting COO until December.
While the ministry denied receiving such a letter, it said it was aware of it. The letter was from the SABC’s group secretary and addressed to its board, asking it to make such the recommendation to Muthambi at its next meeting in October.
Public protector Thuli Madonsela found in a report released in February 2014 that Motsoeneng 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 that he purged senior staff.
Despite these adverse findings, Muthambi confirmed his permanent appointment by the board at the time.
In November 2015, Western Cape high court judge Dennis Davis found Motsoeneng’s appointment was irrational and unlawful and set it aside. The Democratic Alliance had brought the application.
Young lions
The DA then got a court order forcing the SABC to hold a disciplinary hearing against him. He was cleared of the charges in December 2015.
On 23 May this year, Davis dismissed Motsoeneng’s application for leave to appeal against his ruling. Motsoeneng then approached the supreme court.
On Sunday, the ANCYL said its confidence in Motsoeneng stemmed from the work he had done.
“This is the same person who assisted the SABC to not get a government bailout,” Mkhize told journalists.
The young lions previously threatened to march to the public broadcaster if Motsoeneng was not reappointed to his post.
The ANCYL also said it believed Dudu Myeni was fit to hold her position as the South African Airways board chairwoman.
Myeni had been at the centre of controversy after she was reappointed to the top position earlier this month, despite ongoing financial and management woes at the national carrier.
