The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board on Wednesday said that none of the allegations made against former chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng are sustainable and it would be “premature” to exclude him from applying for positions at the public broadcaster.

Parliament summoned the SABC board to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Communications to give account of the controversial reappointment of Motsoeneng – this time as head of corporate affairs.

Earlier in September, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) set aside the appointment of Motsoeneng as COO, but the SABC board has subsequently deployed Motsoeneng to another position.

SABC board chairperson Obert Maguvhe said in his presentation to Parliament that the board held the rule of law sacrosanct, but that no judgments were made with regard to Motsoeneng’s suitability as an employee.

“At no time did any of the judgments [in the Cape High Court and Supreme Court of Appeal] state that Mr Motsoeneng had to be dismissed as an employee.”

Maguvhe continued, saying the law states that you cannot appoint someone to a lesser position and therefore the SABC’s executive directors reviewed the options for Motsoeneng to be appointed in a “suitable executive position”.

As the former COO’s “competency” lies in the stakeholder functions at the SABC, a decision was taken to redeploy Bessie Tugwana to the Special Projects division to make way for Motsoeneng to head up Corporate Affairs.