The Plot at Hlaudi House Thickens as SABC Saga Continues

Since the SA Broadcasting Corporation’s acting CEO Jimi Matthews resigned a week ago Monday over the “corrosive atmosphere” at the public broadcaster, the chaos at the SABC continues, with protests outside its offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and an apparent turnaround by the ANC over its support for the man who’s apparently causing all the trouble, COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

Here’s the latest on Monday:

• Matthews told City Press on Sunday that Motsoeneng, who has allegedly enforced censorship at the broadcaster,  “is conducting a reign of terror at the SABC, where people are being bludgeoned to toe the line”. Matthews earlier admitted he was complicit in keeping Motsoeneng in power. “What is happening at the SABC is wrong and I can longer be part of it,” he said.
• Matthews also admitted that the SABC banned coverage of the Economic Freedom Fighters and its leader Julius Malema.
• Matthews also said the SABC would be better off without Motsoeneng.
• In a report on Sunday, it was alleged that SABC headquarters in Auckland Park are now called “Hlaudi House”.

Motsoeneng at a press briefing recently:

• The ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa – who had earlier said in an interview that Matthews had been “opportunistic” – later reportedly said the ANC is against any form of censorship.
• The ANC on Monday called on Communications Minister Faith Muthambi to investigate whether Motsoeneng is abusing his power.
• This comes only a week after the communications ministry issued a statement after Matthews’ resignation seeming to question Matthews’ motives, saying, “It is unfortunate that Mr Matthews decided to turn his resignation into a social media issue, without raising his concerns internally, nor communicating his concerns with the Ministry of Communications. The timing of his resignation is suspect.”
• On the weekend, ex-governor of the Reserve Bank Tito Mboweni tweeted, “On the SABC, I am breaking ranks with the “predominant view” and standing firm on press freedom. Taking the lead from historical ANC positions.” He was supported by tourism minister Derek Hanekom.
• In his column on Monday, Justice Malala said Motsoeneng was mediocre but he was only part of a bigger malaise: “The good people of this country need to realise that Motsoeneng is not the only problem. The problem is the rise of mediocrity in our politics — the use of the “yes minister” type of person, like Motsoeneng, to undermine our freedoms and our institutions. You see such mediocre and pliable people at SAA, at the Hawks, at the SABC and many other places. With them in place, Zuma is secure.”
• In an article in the Daily Maverick on Friday, “His Master’s Voice: Why Hlaudi Motsoeneng is democratic SA’s biggest threat”, Ranjeni Munusamy drew comparisons between Motsoeneng and Hitler’s chief propagandist Josef Goebbels.