SABC chair Zandile Tshabalala has extended controversial chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s powers to fulfil the duties of CEO until the end of the year. The broadcaster’s spokesman, Kaizer Kganyago, confirmed that Tshabalala had signed a letter authorising the delegation of powers.
“Authority is hereby given to the chief operations officer to undertake the duties and functions of the group chief executive officer with effect from 22 November 2014 to 31 December 2014,” Tshabalala’s letter says.
It’s the second time that the CEO’s powers have been delegated to Motsoeneng due to the fact that acting CEO Anton Heunis is ill and not able to work. He was given the powers between 13 November and 22 November. Kganyago insisted there was nothing unusual about Tshabalala’s decision and that it was necessary to ensure the continued functioning of the SABC.
But DA MP Gavin Davis described the decision as “obviously irrational”.
In a statement, Davis said that the courts have ordered that Motsoeneng should be suspended and disciplined for public protector Thuli Madonsela’s various findings of fraud and mismanagement against him.
“Instead,” Davis said, “Tshabalala has given Motsoeneng total control of the administration of the SABC, including budgets and senior appointments.
“It is particularly problematic given that the SABC is busy recruiting a number of senior executives, including the head of news, head of sport and head of stakeholder relations,” he added.
“The public protector found that Motsoeneng had a history of favouring allies and purging opponents at the SABC. We expect that he will now use his authority as CEO to appoint his loyalists to these key positions.
“It is also alarming that … Motsoeneng is now the editor-in-chief of the SABC. In other words, a man who believes that journalists should be licensed, and that there should be a 70% ‘good news’ quota, now has the absolute power to make editorial decisions at our public broadcaster.
“This delegation of authority to Motsoeneng adds further weight to [parliament’s] communications portfolio committee recommendation that Tshabalala should be suspended pending the outcome of her own fraud inquiry. She is clearly unable to make rational decisions in the public interest at this juncture. The bottom line is that neither Tshabalala nor Motsoeneng should be in office making decisions that affect the future of the SABC.”
In October, the Western Cape high court ordered the SABC to suspend Motsoeneng and begin disciplinary proceedings against him within 14 days.
This followed the DA’s application for an urgent interim interdict to have Motsoeneng suspended, pending a review of the decision to appoint him as chief operating officer.
In February, Madonsela released a report on Motsoeneng, while he was acting operations chief. She found his salary increased from R1,5m to R2,4m in one year, that he had purged senior staff, and misrepresented his matric qualifications to the SABC.
Madonsela recommended that a new chief operating officer be appointed at the SABC within 90 days.
In July, communications minister Faith Muthambi announced Motsoeneng’s permanent appointment as operations chief.
Motsoeneng is appealing against the court ruling that he be suspended. — © 2014 NewsCentral Media, with Sapa