Public Protector Thuli Madonsela again asks the SABC when it is going to take proper action over its famously matricless COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

The Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has again asked the SABC when the public broadcaster will take the remedial actions as outlined in the Public Protector's report, "When Governance and Ethics Fail", from February 2014 over the SABC's famously matricless chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

It follows after South Africa's Constitutional Court last week ruled that the remedial actions and recommendations as made by the Public Protector regarding president Jacob Zuma's upgrades to his Nkandla homestead are binding.

It means that the Public Protector's report on Hlaudi Motsoeneng in which she found serious mismanagement at the public broadcaster and implicated Hlaudi Motsoeneng in a string of ethical lapses and maladministration, and the remedial actions asked for, is also similarly binding on the SABC.

The Public Protector found that Hlaudi Motsoeneng had lied to the SABC about having a matric certificate. "He admitted to me, and I have a recorded interview with him," said Thuli Madonsela.

"Secondly the position [of COO] was initially advertised as a position requiring certain qualifications. Therefore Hlaudi Motsoeneng didn't have those qualifications. One of them was a tertiary degree which he didn't have".

The Public Protector slammed the SABC and Hlaudi Motsoeneng for the 3 "irregular" salary increases from R1,5 milion per year to R2,4 million in a single year.

The Public Protector's report says Hlaudi Motsoeneng shows "a lack of ethical conduct" and noted that he should never have been appointed at the SABC.

The Public Protector's report finds that Hlaudi Motsoeneng's appointment as the acting chief operating officer (COO) at the SABC was "irregular" and that the SABC board is in violation of the Broadcasting Act, and that Hlaudi Motsoeneng serving in this position "constitutes improper conduct and maladministration".

The Public Protector's report found that Hlaudi Motsoeneng "directly initiated the termination of the employment of Bernard Koma, Hosia Jiyane, Sello Thulo, Montlenyane Diphoko, Mapule Mbatathi and Ntswoaki Ramaphosa who participated in Hlaudi Motsoeneng's disciplinary hearing held in Bloemfontein".

The Public Protector found that Hlaudi Motsoeneng "unilaterally increased the salaries of certain SABC staff members, adding R29 million to the public broadcaster's salary bill.

According to the Public Protector, Hlaudi Motsoeneng was allowed by multiple successive SABC board's to interfere in financial issues and human resource matters he shouldn't have.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng purged SABC staff which cause losses of millions of rands to the SABC according to the Public Protector, since the SABC had to pay out settlements for wrongful and irregular termination.

The Public Protector says Hlaudi Motsoeneng's conduct of misrepresenting his qualifications is fraud - that it is "improper and constitutes a dishonest act" and that Hlaudi Motsoeneng committed fraud when he indicated that he had completed matric.

In October 2015, the the Supreme Court of Appeals ruling found in favour of, and confirmed Thuli Madonsela's findings. 

The SABC then convened a bizarre and extremely odd, three times postponed disciplinary hearing for Hlaudi Motsoeneng, finding him not guilty on a suddenly dramatically reduced charge sheet.

Now the Public Protector wants to know from the SABC when the public broadcaster is going to comply with its report and the remedial actions requested. "It does not look like the SABC understood the court directive," says the Public Protector spokesperson Oupa Segalwe.

According to the Public Protector, the SABC has in two years since February 2014 and counting, failed to comply with the Public Protector's findings and remedial actions asked for.

"What [the SABC did so far] did not amount to implementation of her remedial action. It appeared as though the SABC misunderstood the Supreme Court of Appeals judgment," says the Public Protector's office.

SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago didn't respond to a media enquiry seeking comment on the Public Protector's latest letter to the South African public broadcaster.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela court orders minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, to explain Hlaudi appointment.

The Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has now court ordered the recalcitrant and dodging new minister of communications Faith Madonsela to meet with the Public Protector's office and to explain the shocking and highly controversial permanent appointment of the famously matricless and lying Hlaudi Motsoeneng as chief operating officer (COO) of the SABC.

The Public Protector's office has ask the SABC board chairperson Ellen Tshabalala numerous times to explain the SABC's reasons for not acting against Hlaudi Motsoeneng and has received no response.

The Public Protector also asked Faith Muthambi repeatedly to respond as to why she ordered the permanent appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

The Public Protector's scathing report released in February found that Hlaudi Motsoeneng "should never have been appointed at the SABC" in the first place.

The Public Protector has a recorded interview in which Hlaudi Motsoeneng admitted to lying about having a matric, admitted to making up fake symbols for a matric certificate he knew he couldn't produce, and implicated him in numerous instances of maladministration at the SABC.

"The Public Protector decided to subpoena the minister because attempts to persuade her to meet have been ignored by the minister," says Public Protector, spokesperson Kgalalelo Masibi.

BREAKING. Public Protector to launch a new investigation into appointment of SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng's as COO.

South Africa's Public Protector Thuli Madonsela will start a new investigation into the SABC's famously matricless and highly controversial Hlaudi Motsoeneng following his permanent appointment in the position of chief operating officer (COO) - a position that was not advertised.

In a scathing report from the Public Protector's office released in February, it was found that Hlaudi Motsoeneng "should never have been appointed at the SABC".

The Public Protector has a recorded interview in which Hlaudi Motsoeneng admitted that he lied about having a matric and made up symbols for a matric certificate he knew he couldn't produce. The Public Protector's report also implicated him in multiple instances of maladministration, abuse of power and irregularities at the beleaguered SABC.

The SABC and the SABC has so far failed to act on the recommendations of the Public Protector's report and instead unexpectedly and shockingly appointed Hlaudi Motsoeneng permanently. It has lead to an avalanche of universal shock, scorn, outrage and condemnation from across South Africa.

Now the Public Protector will start a new investigation into Hlaudi Motsoeneng's controversial permanent appointment.

The new investigation - while the Public Protector is waiting for answers and responses from the SABC, SABC board and the new minister of communications, Faith Muthambi on the first report from February - will focus on whether Hlaudi Motsoeneng has the right qualifications to hold the position of SABC COO.

The new investigation will focus on the process of appointment, the job description, what qualifications are required, why the position was not advertised (it was last advertised in January 2012), and why the SABC board was suddenly pressured on Monday evening to vote seven to five to appoint Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) political party already welcomed the decision by the Public Protector to launch a new and second investigation into Hlaudi Motsoeneng and the SABC.

"There is ample evidence that the decision to appoint Hlaudi Motsoeneng was deeply flawed, irrational and possibly unlawful," says Gavin Davis, the DA's shadow minister of communications in a statement on Friday.

"The post was not advertised as no candidates were shortlisted and interviewed as stipulated in the SABC's Articles of Association; Hlaudi Motsoeneng is not in possession of the qualifications required for the post; and the decision to appoint him contradicts the Public Protector's report of 17 February which was damning in its assessment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng's conduct".

Public Protector on SABC's Hlaudi Motsoeneng appointment scandal: 'He lied to the SABC and he doesn't have qualifications'.

South Africa's Public Protector Thuli Madonsela says the SABC's matricless and highly controversial Hlaudi Motsoeneng who has been permanently appointed as chief operating officer (COO) by the SABC is not qualified for the position, lied, and that Hlaudi Motsoeneng admitting to lying is on a recorded interview she has.

There's widespread shock, disbelief and condemnation of the SABC today following the South African public broadcaster's permanent appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng who advocates for "good news stories" to be told by SABC News and the media and who also wants South African journalists to be licensed.

This week on The Justice Factor Hlaudi Motsoeneng was asked if he lied and falsified his qualifications but on television he said no.

The SABC and the SABC board has so far failed to act on any of the recommendations of the Public Protector's damning report of Hlaudi Motsoeneng which was issued in February and which states that "Hlaudi Motsoeneng should never have been appointed at the SABC".

"The finding is that Hlaudi Motsoeneng had lied to the SABC about having a matric certificate. He admitted to me, and I have a recorded interview with him," Thuli Madonsela told eNCA (DStv 403) on Wednesday evening.

"Secondly the position was initially advertised as a position requiring certain qualifications. Therefore Hlaudi Motsoeneng didn't have those qualifications. One of them was a tertiary degree which he didn't have".

Thuli Madonsela said she found the news that Hlaudi Motsoeneng has suddenly been permanently appointed in the position of chief operating officer (COO) "unusual. It is odd".

"The SABC board chairperson Ellen Zandile Tshabalala has written to me several times requesting extra time to submit and implementation plan," said Thuli Madonsela on eNCA.

"She was supposed to do that in 30 days. Five months down the line I'm still waiting for just a simple plan that indicated what Ellen Zandile Tshabalala is going to do. That obviously would have included her indicating to me how and when they were going to appoint the SABC's new COO".

"The first thing to do is to ask the minister of communications Faith Muthambi and the SABC board to come and explain themselves".

"Based on that I may then approach parliament to request a debate on the SABC's behaviour throughout this investigation, and finally in proceeding with this appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng".

"My main job was to say that if the SABC advertises a job as requiring certain qualifications it must then appoint a person who has those qualifications".

"Secondly, if somebody has conducted themselves wrongly, in other words, have been dishonest and committed fraud, they must be held accountable for that first before you can proceed about thinking of appointing them to a higher position, or a more permanent position than what they were occupying in the first place where misconduct took place," Thuli Madonsela told eNCA.

BREAKING. Public Protector says SABC's matricless liar Hlaudi Motsoeneng was 'paid far above the threshold' for someone in an acting position.

South Africa's Public Protector says the SABC's famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeng, the South African public broadcaster's acting chief operating officer (COO) was paid "far above" what someone in an acting position, in that position, should be paid at the SABC - and she recommends that that money be recovered.

Thuli Madonsela appeared on Monday night on ANN7 (DStv 405) and was interviewed by ANN7 Prime news anchor Chantal Rutter Dros.

Thuli Madonsela spoke to Chantal Rutter Dros about the Public Protector's scathing final report on wrongdoing at the SABC.

The report found, among other things, that the SABC's acting chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng lied about having a matric certificate, deliberately misrepresented that he had matric and faked matric symbols, and is also guilty of maladministration and abuse of power at the SABC.

It's not yet clear when, or if, the SABC is going to suspend Hlaudi Motsoeneng, following the findings of the report.

"The money that was irregularly spent on people should be recovered. Money that could be recovered is the money paid to Hlaudi Motsoeneng as part of his acting allowance".

"There is a clear threshold on how much you can be paid in an acting position. Hlaudi Motsoeng was paid far above that threshold," she said on ANN7.

The report release on Monday indicated that Hlaudi Motsoeneng's salary went up from R1,5 million to R2,4 million. That is a bigger salary than what South Africa's deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe earn per year.

"Then there are those increments that happened. Those the SABC have to assess properly and decide whether it was proper to have those or if some of the money can be recovered."

"Lastly some of the money that has to be recovered - or at least dealt with - is to the irregular termination of people's contracts".

"Some of them were sent home when the contract still had to run for about 18 months. Then they were paid to stay at home. Some were suspended for long periods of time," Thuli Madonsela said on ANN7.

"I indicated to the SABC that those outstanding disciplinary processes should be finalised quickly including the one of the chief financial officer (CFO), to allow the South African Broadcasting Corporation to run properly."

"The SABC board needs to take action to define roles properly - the role of the SABC chairperson, the group CEO and the COO," said Thuli Madonsela.


ALSO READ: The matricless liar Hlaudi Motsoeneng should never have been appointed at the SABC, the Public Protector's report finds.
ALSO READ: The SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng "unilaterally increased the salaries of certain SABC staff members, adding to the R29 million more in the salary bill.
ALSO READ: The SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng is a fraud, "pathological" SABC needs to fill permanent COO position with a suitably qualified person.
ALSO READ: Will the SABC's matricless liar and acting chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng be suspended? It will leave the SABC without a CEO and a COO.
ALSO READ: Thuli Madonsela on the matricless liar Hlaudi Motsoeneng: "He was 23 at the time, but continued with that misrepresentation again in 2003".
ALSO READ: Thuli Madonsela on the quitting SABC CEO Lulama Mokhobo: "It was clear that she was on her way out".

BREAKING. Thuli Madonsela on the quitting SABC CEO Lulama Mokhobo: 'It was clear that she was on her way out'.

South Africa's Public Protector Thuli Madonsela says she doesn't know why the SABC CEO Lulama Mokhobo abruptly quit at the beginning of this month, but that "it was clear that she was on her way out".

Lulama Mokhobo is fingered as one of the SABC executives implicated and mentioned in the Public protector's damning final report released on Monday morning regarding fraud, wrongdoing, maladministration, irregularities and abuse of power at the SABC.

Lulama Mokhobo decided to quit having served just over two years of her five year contract at the SABC and the SABC has given no reason, saying its "private and confidential".

Thuli Madonsela appeared on Monday night on ANN7 (DStv 405) and was interviewed by ANN7 Prime news anchor Chantal Rutter Dros.

"I don't know why she resigned," said Thuli Madonsela. "What I do know is that during the interview it was clear that she was on her way out - as was the case with five SABC CEO's before her".

"I have only one finding against Lulama Mokhobo, that she authorised one of the salary increments of Hlaudi Motsoeneng without following what is in the Articles of Association of the SABC and the human resources policies that govern the SABC".

"Until the SABC decided exactly what is the role of the SABC chairperson, the role of the SABC CEO, and the role of the chief operating officer (COO), we'll see more CEO's come and go at the SABC," Thuli Madonsela said on ANN7.


ALSO READ: The matricless liar Hlaudi Motsoeneng should never have been appointed at the SABC, the Public Protector's report finds.
ALSO READ: The SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng "unilaterally increased the salaries of certain SABC staff members, adding to the R29 million more in the salary bill.
ALSO READ: The SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng is a fraud, "pathological" SABC needs to fill permanent COO position with a suitably qualified person.
ALSO READ: Will the SABC's matricless liar and acting chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng be suspended? It will leave the SABC without a CEO and a COO.
ALSO READ: Thuli Madonsela on the matricless liar Hlaudi Motsoeneng: "He was 23 at the time, but continued with that misrepresentation again in 2003".

BREAKING. Thuli Madonsela on matricless liar Hlaudi Motsoeneng: 'He was 23 at the time, but he continued with that misrepresentation again in 2003'.

The Public Protector on Monday night appeared on ANN7 (DStv 405) and in an interview with ANN7 Prime news anchor Chantal Rutter Dros said

Thuli Madonsela released the Public Protector's scathing final report on Monday morning on the SABC, in which it found that Hlaudi Motsoeneng lied about having matric, faked matric subject symbols, and is also guilty of maladministration, abuse of power and other irregularities during his tenure at the SABC.

The famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng is currently the SABC's acting chief operating officer (COO).

"I interviewed Hlaudi Motsoeneng personally, said Thuli Madonsela." "He indicated that he's a results person, and sometimes he had to bend the rules. My view is expediency can give you short term results, but it can create long term dysfunctionality."

"It was Hlaudi Motsoeneng himself who conceded to me after a long interview that he had lied about his matric qualification," Thuli Madonsela told ANN7.

"He was 23 at the time, but he continued with that misrepresentation again in 2003, and the allegations are that it also continued in even more recent applications. Unfortunately his file disappeared - mysteriously - and we could not prove the more recent allegations," said Thuli Madonsela.

ALSO READ: The matricless liar Hlaudi Motsoeneng should never have been appointed at the SABC, the Public Protector's report finds.
ALSO READ: The SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng "unilaterally increased the salaries of certain SABC staff members, adding to the R29 million more in the salary bill.
ALSO READ: The SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng is a fraud, "pathological" SABC needs to fill permanent COO position with a suitably qualified person.
ALSO READ: Will the SABC's matricless liar and acting chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng be suspended? It will leave the SABC without a CEO and a COO.


"The SABC needs to do something about its information management," Thuli Madonsela told Chantal Rutter Dros on ANN7. "The fact that his file disappeared actually sabotaged a disciplinary process against him. There's a problem in terms of how information is handled at the SABC".

"The chief financial officer (CFO) - that's a very important position - was appointed in a very irregular manner where Hlaudi Motsoeneng brought a CV long after the procedure had been concluded and a person's name had been recommended to the minister".

"Hlaudi Motsoeneng was able to get the SABC board to sit and interview this person. That says something about the culture of the organisation," Thuli Madonsela told Chantal Rutter Dros on ANN7.

BREAKING. Cover-up attempt within the SABC resulting in Hlaudi Motsoeneng's missing personnel file worrying, says Public Protector.

The cover-up attempt within the South Africa public broadcaster resulting in the disappearance of Hlaudi Motsoeneng's missing personnel file is extremely worrying, South Africa's Public Protector Thuli Madonsela said on Monday in a damning report on irregularities, abuse of power, and widespread maladministration at the SABC.

Thuli Madonsela said on Monday in the report that "I found it rather discouraging that the current SABC board appears to have blindly sprung to Hlaudi Motsoeneng's defence on matters that precede it and which, in my considered view, require a SABC board that is serious about ethical governance to raise questions with him".

"I am also concerned that Hlaudi Motsoeneng's file disappeared amid denying ever falsifying his qualifications and that at one point he even used the absence of evidence to support his contention that there was no evidence of his alleged fraudulent misrepresentation," says the Public Protector's report.

ALSO READ: The matricless liar Hlaudi Motsoeneng should never have been appointed at the SABC, the Public Protector's report finds.
ALSO READ: The SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng "unilaterally increased the salaries of certain SABC staff members, adding to the R29 million more in the salary bill.
ALSO READ: The SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng is a fraud, "pathological" SABC needs to fill permanent COO position with a suitably qualified person.

"At times the SABC board submission appeared more defensive on his behalf than himself," said Thuli Madonsela.

She said that the SABC told the Public Protector's office that "salary increases at the SABC are negotiated without any performance contracts or notch increase parameters".

That saw Hlaudi Motsoeneng's salary skyrocket with three increases in one year from R1,5 million to R2,4 million. That is a bigger salary than what South Africa's deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe earn per year.

Public Protector's final report released this coming Monday after a year long investigation into alleged abuse of power, maladministration at SABC.

South Africa's Public Protector Thuli Madonsela will release her office's final investigation report about alleged abuse of power, and the irregular appointment of the SABC's famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng, as well as other alleged maladministration at the SABC this coming Monday, 17 February, in Pretoria.

Journalists are welcome to attend the media briefing of the release of the final report into alleged widespread maladministration at the SABC. The release of the report comes just after the SABC CEO Lulama Mokhobo decided to quit a public position at the public broadcaster, with the SABC giving no reasons, and saying its "personal and confidential".

Thuli Madonsela's final investigative report on which the Public Protector worked on for over a year, follows an investigation into allegations of maladministration, systemic governance deficiencies, abuse of power, and the irregular appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng by the SABC.

The media briefing on the SABC investigation takes place at Public Protector House, Hillcrest Office Park, Hillcrest at 10:00 on Monday 17 February.

Interested journalists can contact Salvation Mokgatlhe on 079 031 5589 or send email to salvation@pprotect.org.