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Johannesburg - Media advocacy group Right2Know says it will take to the streets once again to protest against the SABC's re-appointment of former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng to his old position as the general executive of corporate affairs.
"Today's press conference by SABC management shows that nothing has changed at the SABC. Hlaudi Motsoeneng has been given a new position but clearly remains in charge and continues to have the support of the SABC board," the group said in a statement on Tuesday.
Right2Know will be taking its march to the SABC's major advertising clients in all three major cities in the country, it said.
"The Right2Know Campaign will march in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban to major companies that advertise on the SABC, to call on them to stop their adverts on SABC until meaningful steps to address the crisis at the public broadcaster are taken."
The advocacy group said it was "outraged" at the news of an irregular bonus of R11m that was allegedly paid out to Motsoeneng in the last few days for a "dubious deal he helped broker with MultiChoice - a deal which was evidently not in the best interests of the public or the public broadcaster".
Right2Know said Motsoeneng must pay back the money and pack his bags.
Meanwhile, the FF Plus said the appointment of Motsoeneng was a chess game in the typical re-deployment style of the ANC.
"The FF Plus will continue full steam to call him to accountability for any losses that the corporation had suffered under his leadership," it said.
Long court battle
Motsoeneng's application for leave to appeal against a ruling to set aside his appointment as the COO at the public broadcaster was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Following the SCA ruling Motsoeneng reported for duty at the public broadcaster as an "ordinary employee".
"He tended to his services this morning," his lawyer Zola Majavu told News24 at the time.
This comes after the Public Protector found in a report released in February 2014 that Motsoeneng lied about his qualifications when he applied for the post of COO, that he hiked his salary from R1.5m to R2.4m in one year, and purged senior staff.
Despite these adverse findings Communications Minister Faith Muthambi confirmed his permanent appointment by the board.
In November 2015 the Western Cape High Court found Motsoeneng's appointment was irrational and unlawful and set it aside. The DA brought the application.
The DA got a court order forcing the SABC to hold a disciplinary hearing against him, but he was cleared of the charges in December 2015.
On May 23 this year Judge Dennis Davis dismissed his application for leave to appeal. Motsoeneng then approached the SCA.
