The R11,4m “bonanza” paid to SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng has to be accounted for, lobby group Save Our SABC Coalition has said.
Co-ordinator for the Save Our SABC Coalition Sekoetlane Phamodi said on Monday that this was just the latest in a series of “looting behaviour” at the public broadcaster.
But they were not ready to give up on the SABC, he said.
The City Press on Sunday reported that Motsoeneng had scored himself a bonus of R11,4m, as commission for his handling of the controversial R500m SABC deal with MultiChoice.
But that was just the initial payment, according to reports, as Motsoeneng would receive a total of R33m over three years.
Phamodi said on Monday that this was indicative of the erosion and looting of public institutions across the country. He made examples of state-owned enterprises South African Airways and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa.
“The board must disclose the terms and reasons behind the bonus. This is a pattern we see in the country and we cannot give up. We may have to take the SABC to court if need be,” he said.
They were currently weighing up their options, he said. “We need to stop the looting, that’s clear.”
The Democratic Alliance was still deciding on the nature of the court action it would take against Motsoeneng, the party’s James Selfe said on Monday.
The party announced that it had no option but to head back to court following reports that the former chief operations officer was back at the helm at the SABC.
The bonus, Selfe said on Monday, was simply an aggravating circumstance.
“How could somebody who is not supposed to be working there get a bonus? It’s a slap in the face of the judicial process.”
The party had instructed its legal team to take the reappointment of Motsoeneng as “acting COO” back to court, it said on Sunday.
“This decision is a desperate attempt to allow the Hlaudi Motsoeneng ‘wrecking ball’ to continue his disastrous reign at the public broadcaster.”
On Monday, the ANC called on the SABC board to obey the law.
