Africa-Press – South-Africa. CONTROVERSIAL former SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng is appealing the South Gauteng High Court ruling that ordered him to pay back more than R11.5 million he was paid as a “success fee”.
The African Content Movement leader was paid the millions for successfully negotiating a R1.2 billion deal with MultiChoice.
”I would like to inform the public that I have already instructed my legal team to appeal the high court ruling. Courts play an important role in safeguarding our democracy, I have decided to lodge an appeal in the protection of the rule of law,” Motsoeneng said.
He said that he had never stolen a cent from the public broadcaster and that he was paid the R11.5m by his former bosses and that this was done voluntarily by the SABC board.
Last week acting Judge JL Khan ordered Motsoeneng to repay the SABC R11.5m including 15.5% annual interest calculated from September 2016 within seven days from the date that the ruling was served on him.
”In history, I have never heard any employee rejecting a payment. The payment was done in recognition of the good work I have done for the SABC, which is not debatable,” Motsoeneng explained, adding that the high court judgment was “outlandish”.
He insisted that he did not regret any decision he took during his tenure at the helm of the SABC.
According to Motsoeneng, he was being vilified and punished for his efforts, instead of being given credit for assisting the SABC when it was struggling financially.
He denied that he was paid R11.5m, saying he was instead only rewarded with about R6.7m.
”The judge ordered that I must pay back R11.5m including 15% interest – I believe the judge was unreasonable because even if a person can invest money, there is no way you can accumulate so much interest which we know is controlled by inflation, which is below 15%,” Motsoeneng said.
He said he found the judge’s conclusion that he was involved in the payment of the success fee, inaccurate and misleading.
Political Bureau
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