COO not reinstated, SABC insists
2013-03-04 18:54
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Johannesburg - Reports that former SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng had been reinstated were false, the public broadcaster said on Monday.
"The report... is regrettable as neither the chairman nor the deputy chairman nor both have the power or authority to unilaterally change a board resolution," the SABC board said in a statement.
"No such provision exists in the Broadcasting Act of 1999, Companies Act of 2008, Articles of Association or draft Memorandum of Incorporation."
The New Age on Monday reported that SABC chairperson Ben Ngubane confirmed to the newspaper that Motsoeneng was back in the position of acting COO.
"The decision to re-instate Hlaudi was made by my deputy Thami Ka Plaatjie after he decided to withdraw his letter to the minister," Ngubane was quoted as saying.
"The status quo remains."
Motsoeneng had reportedly also confirmed to The New Age that he had been reinstated.
The SABC board on Monday said it would seek clarity from Ngubane and Plaatjie regarding the newspaper report.
At a meeting in Cape Town on 25 February the board resolved to release Motsoeneng of his responsibility as acting COO with immediate effect.
It also decided that he would revert back to his previous position as group executive of stakeholder relations and provinces.
The board appointed Mike Siluma, a veteran journalist and head of radio news and current affairs, to the position.
The morning after the meeting, the board briefed the chairperson. He accepted the decision, but asked that implementation be postponed to Monday.
The group chief executive officer subsequently implemented the decision and a courtesy letter was drafted to inform shareholders, the board said.
A letter was also drafted for Motsoeneng.
"It is critical to note that, since then, the board has not met to rescind this resolution," it said.
"The so called 'withdrawal' of letters signed by the deputy chairperson Thami Ka Plaatjie [on behalf of the board] does not have any effect on the board resolution taken at a properly convened board meeting."
- SAPA
