The disciplinary chairperson was suddenly replaced; the prosecutor was suddenly replaced with a third new prosecutor; and the hearing was postponed for a 3rd time to Tuesday.
The shockers and twists and turns of trying to keep up with the latest developments and news of Hlaudi Motsoeneng's disciplinary hearing has made it all but impossible to keep up with the utter insanity of it all.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng's disciplinary was abruptly cancelled on Thursday.
The chairperson advocate William Mokhari on Thursday said the disciplinary hearing of Hlaudi Motsoeneng serves no purpose and would only be "academic" due to multiple ongoing court cases against Hlaudi Motsoeneng, and that the disciplinary hearing has therefore been cancelled.
Now, suddenly, without any word of warning or announcement, William Mokhari is out and replaced by new chairperson, advocate Willem Johannes (EJ) Edeling.
Suddenly - also without warning or announcement - Tumisho Phalane is the new prosecutor in the disciplinary hearing.
It makes Tumisho Phalane the 3rd prosecutor to work on the case. He now says he is not actually ready.
It comes after Mponyana Ledwaba as the SABC's prosecutor is suddenly also gone...
... Who in turn replaced the labour lawyer Sandile July ...
... Who was fired as the lead prosecutor in the disciplinary hearing.
Oh and the case has been postponed again (for a 3rd time now, and after it was "cancelled") to Tuesday.
Prosecutor Tumisho Phalane argued that he didn't have enough time to prepare for the case (which, seeing that he is now the 3rd prosecutor to take on the case) seems like a reasonable argument but overall is so bad and reflects so negatively on the whole disciplinary hearing in totality.
The integrity of something and a process like a disciplinary hearing - and especially this disciplinary hearing of Hlaudi Motsoeneng - must be and had to be above reproach and had to be protected.
Yet another ominously dark cloud is already hanging over all of it. A replaced lead prosecutor. Who then gets replaced. Who then gets replaced.
A chairperson who gets replaced.
A disciplinary hearing supposed to start at the end of October. That gets postponed to 1 December. That gets postponed to 2 December. That starts on 2 December, Runs on 3 December and gets "cancelled" and "adjourned" on 3 December...
... Only to be restarted on 7 December, but then gets "postponed" yet again to start on 8 December.
Let's call this laughable Hlaudi Motsoeneng disciplinary hearing the clear mess that this SABC process once again is: a total shambles.
