Matthews resignation from SABC should see Motsoeneng fired once and for all

27 June 2016

The DA is deeply concerned by the resignation of the SABC’s Acting Group CEO, Jimmi Matthews, who has cited the “corrosive atmosphere [that] has impacted negatively on my [his] moral judgement” in an effort to ensure that the public broadcaster gives effect to its statutory obligation to act in the public interest and to report the news freely and fairly without fear, favour or prejudice. 

The DA echoes this sentiment resoundingly and will be calling on SABC COO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, to be fired at once as we believe the erosion of the SABC can be laid squarely at his feet and those who seek to protect him.

This resignation comes hot on the heels of several politically motivated suspensions of those who speak out against the embattled SABC COO who has turned the public broadcaster into his own personal fiefdom hell-bent on reporting only good news about the ANC and President Jacob Zuma.

His most recent order and most arbitrary ban of negative stories about President Jacob Zuma typifies the clampdown in ethical and fair reporting which the DA has taken severe exception to and is currently monitoring any infractions during this election period with a view to requesting an investigation by ICASA’s Complaints and Compliance Committee (CCC) should these inequitable and bias editorial policies continue to erode the credibility of the SABC.

Equally concerning are the draconian editorial polices he has proclaimed. Specifically not to broadcast service delivery protests. This he asserts is to preserve “national unity” however, the DA is of the view that this is a flagrant attempt to protect the ANC from scrutiny and its abysmal service delivery record to date which has forced frustrated South Africans to take to the streets in order to be heard by the ANC in government.

It must be remembered that the SABC’s CEO, Frans Matlala, was in November last year baselessly suspended for acting in a manner too independent for Mr Motsoeneng and his protector in the Minister of Communications, Faith Muthambi.

This cannot be allowed to persist and Mr Motsoeneng must be fired.

The Minister, in her position as shareholder representative for the SABC, has the obligation in terms of his ministry’s Shareholder Compact with the board, the Companies Act, her Executive Authority in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and the Protocol on Corporate Governance in the Public Sector, to take firm action to protect the state’s asset.

Under Mr Motsoeneng’s tenure the SABC has:

- Earned a disclaimer of opinion from the Auditor-General;

- Entered into an Unethical and financially dubious deal with MultiChoice;

- Staffed the SABC’s upper management echelons with inadequately educated and experienced people;

- Maintains and plans to expand a financially unsustainable head count;

- Fallen behind in the transition to digital terrestrial television; and

- Continues to lose audience share.

Presently, Mr Motsoeneng and the Minister are the subject of a review application brought by the DA to have him removed as COO for his grossly irregular conduct. The Public Protector found that Mr Motsoeneng is indeed not a fit and proper person to hold this position of COO.

It must never be forgotten that the Public Protecor found that Mr Motsoeneng should be the subject of an independent disciplinary inquiry because:

- The SABC lost millions in irregular handling of employment contracts under Mr Motsoeneng's watch.

- Mr Motsoeneng has been allowed by successive boards to operate above the law, undermining the GCEO among others. And causing the staff, particularly Human Resources (HR) and Finance to engage in unlawful conduct.

- Mr Motsoeneng fraudulently misrepresented his qualifications to the SABC.

- Allegations that Mr Motsoeneng’s salary progression was irregular were substantiated in that he received salary appraisals three times in one year as alleged, hiking his salary as executive manager [for] stakeholder relations from R1.5 million to R2.4 million.

The DA will not rest until Mr Motsoeneng is stripped of his position and we can start rebuilding a public broadcaster that honours the constitutional imperatives on which it is founded by operating in the public interest.

Issued by Phumzile Van Damme, DA Shadow Minister of Communications, 27 June 2016