It's the astronomical R3.78 million pay of the SABC's famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng that's completely shocking South Africa:
Keep in mind that the SABC's controversial chief operating officer (COO):
■ doesn't have a degree. Any degree.
■ Hlaudi Motsoeneng doesn't have matric.
■ even a judge of South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeals said last week that after reading hundreds of pages he doesn't even know what grade of school Hlaudi Motsoeneng successfully completed.
■ admitted in a recorded interview to South Africa's Public Protector that he lied. Hlaudi Motsoeneng admitted he lied about having matric; he admitted he faked symbols for a certificate he knew he couldn't produce.
This person was paid in excess of R3.78 million by the South African public broadcaster, which is a public broadcaster, funded by your SABC TV licence, which the SABC wants you to pay.
The SABC made a massive loss of R401 million for the last financial year - yet Hlaudi Motsoeneng's salary shockingly went up almost R1 million - a whopping 31% in just one year to R3.78 million.
(Remember back in April when The Sunday Times reported that the SABC is facing a loss of around R500 million? Hlaudi Motsoeneng then slammed The Sunday Times and South Africa's journalists for "bad stories" - which turns out to be very accurate months later.)
In Hlaudi Motsoeneng's world a massive loss of hundreds of millions is "progress".
Hlaudi Motsoeneng's R3.78 million means that he now earns more money than South African president Jacob Zuma who gets R2.75 million annually.
"We're not shy to spend to spend money on the things we believe in," SABC CEO Frans Matlala tells the press at a media briefing on Wednesday afternoon at the SABC's Auckland Park headquarters.
The almost R1 million increase to R3.78 million per year for Hlaudi Motsoeneng is freaking the South African nation out Rand Daily Mail reports.
"Hlaudi's R3.78 million jackpot" says The Star, noting that the SABC boss who only has Grade 9 could be facing yet another probe by the Public Protector. "SABC boss pay shock" reports The Mercury about Hlaudi Motsoeneng's millions.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng's "brazen R1 million salary increase causes outrage" reports The Media, with "South Africans taken aback at the news of Motsoeneng's salary increase".
"The South African public's failure to pay their SABC TV licences" is being blamed as the main reason for the massive loss, says SABC CEO Frans Matlala.
Ironically less people will pay their SABC TV licences reports The Herald, saying there's "fury at the mind-boggling SABC pay hike" and that "no wonder so many people are not paying their SABC TV licence fees".
An an old granny says the "SABC can whistle for my SABC TV licence money" - she's not paying anymore due to the waste of money going on at the public broadcaster.
The R401 million loss of the SABC is a 201% below budget. Cash reserves also dropped R400 million to R1 billion. Hlaudi Motsoeneng's massive pay hike comes as the SABC faces an ongoing cash crisis and tough conditions.
The SABC's annual report reveals a massive problem: SABC salaries went up R400 million as expenses balloon.
And Hlaudi Motsoeneng says: "We are not like Telkom or any other state enterprise. What we care about is to give people what they want which is quality programming and good local content".
Hlaudi Motsoeneng says "it is not a sin for a black man to earn a decent salary - people should be rewarded at the SABC, even if they're cleaners. according to News24.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng also said "if someone performs well and comes up with a R1 billion revenue, why should we not reward them?" according to the Independent group.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng also said "other broadcasters are talking about retrenching people, but we are not" according to The Citizen.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng says he has no plans to go back to school to get his matric, but that he "reads". He tells the YB20 Gauteng Youth Assembly that he had been to several "tertiary institutions" where he did various courses - although he never got any degrees or diplomas.
-The Democratic Alliance (DA) political party wants the Public Protector to investigate the shocking salary of Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
-The FF Plus political party calls it an attempt of fast self enrichment.
-The COPE political party condemns Hlaudi Motsoeneng's abuse of the SABC.
-The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) "notes with great concern" his ridiculous salary increase and demands that the SABC sets "a correct example".
-The ANC political party says Hlaudi Motsoeneng's skyricketing salary "sets a dangerous precedence".
The Communication Workers' Union (CWU) says Hlaudi Motsoeneng's massive increase is unreasonable. The CWU says it will decide at the end of September to decide what action CWU members will take over this.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng is "suffering from delusions of grandeur" and the silence of Faith Muthambi, the minister of communications, is deafening with calls for her to be fired immediately.
The SABC's financial situation is now once again under scrutiny after Hlaudi Motsoeneng lied to parliament earlier this year about the projected loss of R401 million.
The public broadcasting pressure group SOS Coalition is astonished at the massive salary and wants to know who authorised the latest pay hike for Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
The Sowetan reports Hlaudi Motsoeneng is earning more than president Jacob Zuma who is already the 4th best paid president in the world.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng was paid a bonus of R279 000 by the SABC and R916 000 for "other allowances" - while the struggling public broadcaster remains riddled with acute financial, personnel and management troubles according to BusinessDay and of course a gutted and unstable SABC board.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng's expensive homes: A R2.8 million home he bought in 2011 in Ruimsig Country Estate in Krugersdorp (now worth R3.3 million); a R1.6 million home in Langenhovenpark in Bloemfontein (now worth R2 million); and a R190 000 home in Pellissier in Bloemfontein bought in 1999 (now worth R1.2 million).
SABC chairperson Mbulaheni Maguvhe on Thursday tells 702 that "it is within the SABC benchmark" to pay Hlaudi Motsoeneng a million more from one year to the next. "I don't see any crisis there at SABC," says Mbulaheni Maguvhe.
"For us this is a good story," says SABC CEO Frans Matlala in the good spin and one-sided 2 minute, 28 second story reported on SABC3 and SABC News (DStv 404) on Wednesday evening that you can watch here. See if you can see what the SABC deliberately omitted to tell viewers.
Listen to Hlaudi Motsoeneng say - as the SABC recorded a loss of R401 million: "SABC is doing very well. People because they don't want to give credit where it is due, they try to put their own agenda within the organisation".
