Special Tribunal Rules Ex-SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng and Ex-Execs Unlawfully Gave 53 Music Legends R50K Each

• The Special Tribunal has set aside former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng's decision to pay over 50 music legends R50 000 each
• Motsoeneng and former executives undertook the decision without following proper processes in 2016
• The decision has been declared invalid and unlawful; however, the money does not need to be paid back because the debt has been prescribed

JOHANNESBURG - Former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng's decisions at the public broadcaster are still under heavy scrutiny. The Special Tribunal recently ruled that Motsoeneng and eight former executives were in the wrong when they awarded 53 music legends R50 000 each in 2006.

The tribunal found that Motosoeneng and the executives failed to follow SABC's internal processes when they decided to give away that money to the music legends.

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The SABC and the Special Investigating Unit approached the tribunal hoping to get an order to set aside Motsoeneng's decision and declare the R2.4 million payment invalid and unlawful.

According to News24, SABC argued that there were no set criteria determining who could be classified as a music legend. In addition, the public broadcaster stated that it did not receive any benefit from making those payments.

These payments are viewed as wasteful and fruitless expenditures by SABC. Motsoeneng and the former executives did not follow due processes, as the payments were not approved by the board responsible for budgetary issues.

Motsoeneng justified the payments and said they were a "thank you" to the music legends for contributing to the apartheid struggle.

According to the Daily Maverick, Motsoeneng and the former SABC bosses were ordered to pay back the money paid to the musicians in March 2021; however, he took the matter to review.

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The judge stated that the payments to the 53 musicians were made more than five years ago, and the loss incurred by the SABC was found to be prescribed. This means the money does not have to be paid back.

@MntungwaTGK said:

"He didn't use it on himself, they needed it. Give the guy a break."

@Jam55504552 said:

"Fools will celebrate this nonsense."

Hlaudi Motsoeneng doesn't have R11.5m to pay SABC back, supposed to clear debt in 7 days

In other news, Briefly News reported that Hlaudi Motsoeneng, the previous COO of the SABC, has been ordered to pay back R11.5 million to the broadcaster in the next seven days. This sum was the success fee that Motsoeneng took from a deal with MultiChoice in 2013.

The success fee was ruled as unlawful by the South Gauteng High Court. The deal with MultiChoice granted them access to the SABC's archives and provided broadcasting rights.

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However, according to News24, Motsoeneng argues that he never received the money and therefore is unable to pay back the amount

Source: Briefly News