Sunday, July 13, 2014

SABC SCANDAL - MORE LIES: Communications minister Faith Muthambi lied to SABC board about Hlaudi Motsoeneng's appointment.


South Africa's minister of communications Faith Muthambi reportedly lied to the SABC board over the permanent appointment of the famously matricless and highly controversial Hlaudi Motsoeneng as chief operating officer (COO) of the SABC, forcing the SABC board to a vote while no real settlement had been reached in the draw-out legal battle with the previous COO, Mvuzo Mbebe.

Faith Muthambi is mired in a firestorm of criticism over the matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng appointment forced through this past Monday evening on a vote by the SABC board.

The Sunday Times reports that according to Mvuzo Mbebe no agreement has been reached with the SABC since an interdict in 2008 preventing the SABC from filling the COO position permanently until a settlement has been reached with Mvuzo Mbebe.

Mvuzo Mbebe however says there exists no finalised settlement with the SABC.

Yet the SABC board was forced to vote to permanently appoint Hlaudi Motsoeneng based on information that there was a settlement.

SABC chairperson Ellen Zandile Tshabalala, Prof Mbulaheni Obert Maghuve, Nomvuyo Mhlakaza, Ndivhoniswani Tshidzumba, Leah Khumalo and Hope Zinde voted in favour of Hlaudi Motsoeneng's appointment.

Ronnie Lubisi, Krish Naidoo and Rachel Kalidass voted against the appointment. Professor Bongani Khumalo and Vusumuzi Mavuso, were not in favour and decided to abstain from voting.

During the past week Faith Muthambi said that she had a law firm supplied the SABC with a report clearing Hlaudi Motsoeneng of all wrongdoing in the Public Protector's scathing report released in February.

The law firm who apparently gave this "independent opinion" was allegedly Mchunu Attorneys who gave Faith Muthambi the report clearing Hlaudi Motsoeneng of all wrongdoing in the Public Protector's scathing report released in February.

Titus Mchunu of Mchunu Attorneys told the Sunday Times that they never advised the SABC board on Hlaudi Motsoeneng's appointment, only the scope of the Public Protector's scope of investigation.

"We don't have instructions on the appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng," said Titus Mchunu.