Legal stand-off follows resurrection of Motsoeneng

Despite the SABC board’s insistence that ‘we respect our legal institutions‚ among them‚ the Public Protector’s Office, and our courts’, Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s re-appointment to the highest echelons of the SABC yesterday has brought about another legal stand-off that is certain to end up in the courts, notes Legalbrief. The SABC’s defiance of the spirit of the Western Cape High Court ruling setting aside his permanent appointment as chief operating officer (COO) as invalid – and the SCA’s dismissal with costs of his application for leave to appeal – was not only ‘disrespectful of the Public Protector’s (Office) but it is disrespectful of the courts of SA,’ according to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, whose original report, When Governance and Ethics Fail, found a 'dishonest' Motsoeneng had fabricated his matric qualification and increased his salary irregularly from R1.5m to R2.4m in one year. In her remedial action she called on the SABC board to take disciplinary action against Motsoeneng. He faced disciplinary action but was cleared of any wrongdoing by the broadcaster – a process described as a ‘whitewash’ by the DA but above board by the SABC.