The department of communications has agreed to fund an R11m pay-out to former SABC CEO Dali Mpofu, the public broadcaster’s interim board has said.

The board on Friday said the settlement was an important step forward. “As part of the agreement, the former CEO has agreed to withdraw all pending legal actions against the corporation,” it said in a statement. “The SABC will in turn pay Mpofu all moneys
contractually due to him, as well as the legal costs he incurred.”

Interim board chairman Irene Charnley described the settlement as an important step forward in stabilising the corporation.

According to the statement, a restraint of trade agreement was part of the deal, to safeguard the SABC’s protectable interests for an agreed to period.

Mpofu would be paid R6,7m, plus an additional R900 000 which was legally due to him. “The legal costs resulting from the previous board’s decision to suspend Mpofu (R2,1m) to be paid to his attorneys. The restraint of trade payment agreed to is R4,4m.”

The board said the department of communications had agreed to compensate the SABC in full for the payment.

Mpofu took the SABC to court after he was suspended for suspending then head of news and current affairs Snuki Zikalala. Mpofu accused Zikalala of leaking confidential documents to
other media outlets. But the board then suspended Mpofu saying he had no authority
to suspend Zikalala.

In June, the high court in Johannesburg dismissed with costs the SABC’s appeal against reinstating Mpofu. — Sapa