Hlaudi Motsoeneng was deployed to the SABC as an unbridled dictator to serve the interests of President Jacob Zuma and the ANC, Joburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba has said.

Mashaba made the remark at a protest held by the DA at the SABC headquarters in Auckland Park, against the appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng as the public broadcaster’s new GE of Corporate Affairs and the R411 million revenue it lost this year.

“The burning question on everyone’s mind is how on earth this controversial figure is still employed by the SABC? You see, he didn’t just magically appear at the SABC. From day one, Hlaudi was given a mandate: do number one’s bidding, and you’ll have the power of being number one at the SABC,” Mashaba said.

“Under Zuma’s instruction, Hlaudi Motsoeneng is on a mandate to successfully turn our public broadcaster into a state propaganda machine. President Zuma knows that if you can control the airwaves, you can control the country. And in order to do this, Zuma requires an unbridled dictator. He has found that in Hlaudi Motsoeneng,” he said.

Mashaba further went on to say that Motsoeneng was never employed by the public broadcaster, but rather deployed, with the primary duty to “further the legitimate interests of whoever deployed you – in this case Jacob Zuma and the ANC”.

You can read Mashaba’s full speech on the DA website.

Fire Hlaudi, dissolve SABC board – or else

The DA handed over a memorandum to the SABC board’s chairperson, Mbulaheni Maghuve, calling for him to ensure Motsoeneng is fired immediately and to dissolve the board.

Should Maguvhe fail to do so in within 48 hours, the DA said it will pursue legal action.

“We have beaten Hlaudi in court before and we’ll do it again,” Mashaba said.

[Source – DA]