Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - Embattled former SABC CEO Solly Mokoetle received a settlement of R3.4m following his resignation on Wednesday, the SABC said.
"Mr Mokoetle was paid an equivalent of his 12 months' salary which amounts to R3.4m inclusive of leave and other entitlements as a full and final settlement," SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said.
"Whilst wanting to respect the confidentiality of the settlement, it is in the interests of transparency and to put an end to negative and incorrect media reports that the Board has decided to make this disclosure," Kganyago said.
Following Mokoetle's resignation, media reports had suggested that the settlement amount was believed to have been around R30m.
The disclosure of the settlement was prompted by Communications Minister Roy Padayachie, who met with the SABC board on Friday to discuss developments at the public broadcaster, his spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso said.
"Padayachie commended the board for their approach to the corporation's protracted dispute with the former GCEO, and he was briefed about details of the settlement reached by the two parties thereof," Rikhotso said.
He said the minister recommended to the board to move swiftly in advertising and filling key vacant positions, including that of Mokoetle's.
The minister also commented on the general state of the broadcaster saying that he was confident the board and management were making progress and that things were looking positive.
"[This was] following my meeting with the board of directors of the SABC...and having received a detailed report on matters pertaining to the corporation's reporting obligations to Parliament, the execution of the turn-around strategy and preparations for the upcoming local government elections," Padayachie said.
Mokoetle was the SABC's chief operations officer between 2001 and December 2006, and appointed by former communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda.
His appointment was opposed by the SABC board as he reportedly left the state broadcaster in a huff as COO, following a damning audit report compiled by Gobodo Forensic and Investigative Accounting in 2005.
The report found he had badly failed in his corporate governance duties.
A showdown between Mokoetle and the board came after the former nominated Phil Molefe as head of news.
The board eventually suspended him for Molefe's appointment, and also alleged Mokoetle had failed to come up with a turnaround plan for the broadcaster.
The public broadcaster's chief financial officer was appointed acting group CEO.
Mokoetle's disciplinary hearing was suspended recently. He said it was no longer possible for him and the board to work together following a breakdown in their relationship.
