Share

SABC’s matricless Hlaudi paid more than President Jacob Zuma


Cape Town – The SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng, the South African public broadcaster's controversial chief operating officer (COO), is paid more than South Africa's President Jacob Zuma – a massive R2.8m in 2013 it has been revealed in parliament.

In response to a question by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in parliament, it was revealed that Motsoeneng got paid R2.8m which is more than the country's president.

The SABC has not acted by suspending or firing Motsoeneng following a damning report released on February by the Public Protector's office which stated that Hlaudi Motsoeneng "should never have been appointed at the SABC".

According to the Public Protector's report Hlaudi Motsoeneng is implicated in serious breaches of governance, mismanagement and maladministration at the beleaguered public broadcaster.

In a recorded interview with the Public Protector, Motsoeneng admitted that he lied about having completed matric and that he made up symbols for a certificate he knew he couldn't produce.

The Public Protector also found that Motsoeneng was involved in the dismissal of all of the people who testified against him in a disciplinary hearing; "purged" other SABC senior staff which cost the SABC millions of rands in payouts, and increased the salaries of other SABC staff which ballooned the SABC's salary bill by R29m.

Likewise questions are swirling around the SABC chairperson, Ellen Zandile Tshabalala, after the tertiary institutions she claims to have received tertiary qualifications from, said they have no record of her completing such qualifications.

In parliament it has now been revealed that Motsoeneng got a salary of R2.8m in 2013 – more than President Zuma's R2 622 561.

Paid R2.5m more than four years ago

Motsoeneng's salary skyrocketed – he is now paid R2.5m more per year than what he was in 2010 – an eight fold increase in four years while the public broadcaster remains mired in drama.

This year the SABC paid R65m in bonuses to staff.

As acting COO Motsoeneng personally promised the cast of Generations three year contracts in June 2013 and better pay rates which they haven't received more than a year later.

That plunged the SABC into crisis two weeks ago when the principal actors on the SABC's biggest TV show in terms of viewership and revenue staged a united walk-out. The SABC1 soap which earns the SABC R220 000 per 30 second ad is set to run out of recorded episodes by the end of this month.

Meanwhile the SABC's audience share has declined from 57% in 2012 to 53% in 2013 but the SABC wants to increase TV licence fees.

The SABC will also once again get a qualified audit this year for the SABC's financial results from the Auditor General (AG). It will be the 4th qualified audit for the SABC in a row, over four years. What a healthy, clean company gets is an unqualified audit – there is nothing to "qualify" and single out as problematic.

Last year the AG slapped the SABC's 2012/2013 financial report with a "disclaimer" as well – the worst possible grading and the most adverse finding possible, indicating that the finances and financial controls are in such disarray to the point that it cannot form an opinion on the SABC's financial statement.

This article has been closed for comments by the editor. Readers who would like to contribute can e-mail their feedback to feedback@channel24.co.za.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE