Motsoeneng decision to pay music legends millions set aside

The Special Tribunal's judgment on Tuesday declared a decision by the former SABC executives to pay 53 music legends R50 000 each to be irregular, unlawful, invalid, and set it aside. 

The payments were incentives for supporting the SABC by compensating music legends who allegedly did not receive needle time royalties prior to 1996.

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago says the irregular and unlawful decisions resulted in the public broadcaster incurring an irregular and wasteful expenditure of R2.4 million.

"In its judgment dated 18 October 2022, the Special Tribunal found that the irregular and unlawful decision by Hlaudi Motsoeneng and eight other former SABC executives had resulted in the public broadcaster incurring an irregular and wasteful expenditure of R2 425 000.

"The SIU and the SABC approached the Special Tribunal following an investigation by the SIU in the affairs of the SABC, which revealed that the SABC did not have a policy on which the payment decisions were based on."

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Kganyago adds the SIU was authorised by the president to investigate allegations of impropriety into the affairs of the SABC.

"The investigation revealed that former executives collectively disregarded SABC's internal policies and acted recklessly and grossly negligent in the performance of their duties and abused their power as SABC executives. Their actions have resulted in the SABC incurring wasteful and fruitless expenditure."

"The SIU was authorised by the President to investigate allegations of impropriety into the affairs of the SABC under Proclamation R. 29 of 2017, and later was amended by Proclamation R.18 of 2018.

"The Special Tribunal order is a continuation of implementation of the SIU investigations outcomes and consequence management to recover monies lost by the SABC. There are other cases enrolled in the High Court and in the Special Tribunal awaiting adjudication and will result in recoveries for the SABC."