The SABC had to fork out R22-million to defend former chief operations officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng during his tumultuous tenure at the broadcaster, a parliamentary reply revealed on Wednesday.
Motsoeneng was a respondent in no less than 15 different cases since the 2013/14 financial year, former communications minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane revealed in a reply to DA MP Thomas Hadebe.
His highest legal bill, R5.3-million, accrued from his fight against the Democratic Alliance (DA) over the Public Protector’s report into governance failures at the broadcaster, When Governance and Ethics Fail.
Other notable spending included R4.9m litigating on “various SABC board matters”, R1.6-million against the Helen Suzman Foundation and R1.1-million in a case against veteran journalist Vuyo Mvoko.
The total figure might increase as matters progress, Kubayi-Ngubane added.
The news comes at a bad time for Motsoeneng, after the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) told Parliament last month it had issued a summons against him for more than R21-million he owes the broadcaster.
“The SIU will determine whether or not to pursue the individual concerned for the recovery of any monies in this regard, as well as the timelines for this exercise,” Kubayi-Ngubane said.
Zuma’s legal fees also in focus
DA MP Phumzile van Damme on Thursday said Motsoeneng must pay back every cent owed to the taxpayer.
Motsoeneng was eventually removed from his position at the SABC in June last year after he was found guilty of bringing the public broadcaster into disrepute in an internal disciplinary hearing.
SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the broadcaster would consult its legal department before commenting, and to also confirm that the information sent to the ministry was accurate.
He would provide more detailed comment at a later stage.
Attempts by News24 to reach Motsoeneng for comment on Thursday were unsuccessful.
The news comes in a week during which former president Jacob Zuma was also called on to pay back the money spent on legal fees in his fight against the corruption charges still outstanding against him.
Repayment agreement
President Cyril Ramaphosa told Parliament on Wednesday that Zuma had spent R15.3-million of state money on legal fees since 2006, R7.5-million of which was spent before the charges were dropped in 2009.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane also called on Zuma to pay back the money, and said his party would start legal processes to look at recouping the sum.
Ramaphosa assured the House that Zuma had agreed to repay the state if the court rules that he acted in his personal capacity when it eventually deliberates on the matter.
This was part of a signed agreement between Zuma and the Presidency under then-president Thabo Mbeki in 2006.
Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court on Wednesday dismissed an application that sought to prevent National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams from announcing his decision on whether the charges against Zuma should be reinstated or not.
The National Prosecuting Authority said the announcement could come any time after Thursday.—News24
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