Hlaudi Motsoeneng set to hold presser on SIU probe into SABC

31st August 2017 By: News24Wire

Hlaudi Motsoeneng set to hold presser on SIU probe into SABC

Former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng

Ousted South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng is set to hold a press briefing at the Millpark Hotel in Johannesburg on Thursday morning, roughly 2 km from his former employer.

This comes as Parliament's portfolio committee on communications continues with interviews for candidates shortlisted to serve on the public broadcaster's board.

Motsoeneng is expected to discuss President Jacob Zuma's authorisation of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) to investigate procurement at the SABC, the SABC's interim board and his 90% local content policy.  His previous press briefing in April resulted in his dismissal by the SABC, who called his actions "grossly insubordinate".

The Labour Court dismissed his application to stop disciplinary hearings against him following the presser.

During the four-hour press briefing, he defended his "90% local content" policy and criticised the parliamentary ad-hoc committee charged with investigating the former board.

At the beginning of August, interim board chairperson Khanyisile Kweyama said the 90% local content policy cost the broadcaster R183-million in television advertising and R29-million in radio advertising. The broadcaster previously applied for a bail-out package from the national treasury.

The SABC instituted legal proceedings against Motsoeneng to recover losses occurred through the 90% policy.

He has referred to himself as "the most powerful man in South Africa", called himself "a brand" and said he started radical transformation at the SABC.

In December 2016, the Western Cape High Court ruled that Motsoeneng could not work at the SABC at all unless Former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's report was set aside or a new disciplinary hearing cleared him of wrong-doing.

He is appealing that judgment.