Hlaudi Motsoeneng has rejected with the \u201ccontempt it deserves\u201d a headline insinuating that he has \u201cno respect towards the country\u2019s courts of law\u201d.<\/p>\n
The South African Broadcasting Corporation issued a statement saying its COO \u201cnoted with concern today’s article titled \u2018Courts won’t stop me\u201a says SABC’s ‘born leader\u2019 published in the Sunday Times newspaper\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a malicious headline and carries a gross misrepresentation of facts\u201a as it insinuates that I have no respect towards the country\u2019s courts of law and undermine the processes thereof\u201a\u201d said Motsoeneng.<\/p>\n
The public broadcaster Corporation on Friday indicated that it will take the Supreme Court of Appeal\u2019s (SCA) ruling that Motsoeneng be suspended for 60 days while a disciplinary hearing into his alleged breaches of conduct is undertaken to the Constitutional Court.<\/p>\n
Motsoeneng\u201a the SABC and the communications minister were challenging an earlier high court order that upheld Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s findings that action be taken against him for receiving exorbitant salary increases and forging his matric qualification.<\/p>\n
In Sunday\u2019s statement\u201a Motsoeneng claimed the Sunday Times interview\u201a \u201cfor which electronic records were made\u2026centred on my leadership role and work at the SABC and had nothing to do with the court case\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn fact questions asked around legal matters were referred to my legal advisor Zola Majavu\u201a and the point that I respect the public protector and our courts was continuously reiterated\u201a\u201d Motsoeneng said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI view this as a smear campaign by some media houses to tarnish my name and I appreciate those who are fair in their reporting.<\/p>\n
\u201cI view this matter in a serious light and reject it with the contempt it deserves as it’s aimed at portraying me in a bad light.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Motsoeneng\u2019s statement was issued on an SABC letterhead\u201a it would appear that the broadcaster has ignored a letter from the Democratic Alliance (DA) on Friday to the SABC and Motsoeneng\u201a giving them until 4pm on Friday to give effect to the court-ordered suspension.<\/p>\n
\u201cShould Motsoeneng and the SABC\u2019s legal representatives elect to ignore this reasonable deadline\u201a the DA will file contempt of court papers in the Supreme Court of Appeal\u201a\u201d the DA\u2019s spokesperson on communications\u201a Phumzile Van Damme\u201a said.<\/p>\n