The beleaguered SABC's acting chief operating officer (COO), described as a "semi-illiterate corrupt liar" is mired in controversy and scandal following a damning report into the SABC and Hlaudi Motsoeneng by South Africa's Public Protector.
The Public Protector's report released on Monday found that Hlaudi Motsoeneng who gets a R2.4 million salary lied about his qualifications and is implicated in maladministration, abuse of power, fraud, and irregular hirings and firings of SABC staff.
The Public Protector's report says that Hlaudi Motsoeneng "should never have been appointed at the SABC". Thuli Madonsela also said its worrying that Hlaudi Motsoeneng's personnel file disappeared. The Public Protector recommended that Hlaudi Motsoeneng urgently be replaced by someone qualified.
A shocking and independent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) skills audit report released earlier this month found that a large number of SABC staff don't even have personnel files.
Flanked by his lawyer Zola Majavu, Hlaudi Motsoeneng held a press conference today where his lawyer Zola Majavu let loose a zinger.
"Guess what. When this current CE resigned the SABC board asked Hlaudi Motsoeneng to consider acting as the CEO," claimed Zola Majavu.
The SABC CEO Lulama Mokhobo abruptly quit at the beginning of this month and will be gone at the end of February 2014 just over two months into her 5 year contract. She gave no reasons or explanation, with the SABC only saying "its private and confidential".
Lulama Mokhobo is the 5th SABC CEO in six years to leave the struggling broadcaster.
After the Hlaudi Motsoeneng press conference today, Zola Majavu went on the SABC's 24-hour TV news channel, SABC News (DStv 404) to talk on the daily talk show Question Time with Mpho Tsedu.
"He says if I was incompetent explain to me why would I move from being an announcer to being number two in this corporation? Whether or not he has the academic qualifications is a different matter," said Zola Majavu.
"He says 'I have been acting'. Not only for three months. I've been acting for over two years. If I was that useless why am I not removed? He is still the acting chief operating officer (COO)," said Zola Majavu.
