Motsoeneng scores R33 million bonus from SABC Multichoice deal

Motsoeneng scores R33 million bonus from SABC Multichoice deal - City Press

12 December 2016 11:57 AM

The City Press published the third part of their ongoing investigation into the SABC. This leg of the investigation focuses on a R533 million rand deal between the SABC and MultiChoice.

MultiChoice would have control of the SABC’s archive and the deal over five years involves two new channels on DStv.

City Press senior reporter Charl Blignaut speaks to CapeTalk's Kieno Kammies about the deal and the allegations that Hlaudi Motsoeneng is believed to have received a R33 million bonus from it.

Blignaut says the deal began in 2012 when then Communications Minister Dina Pule approached Multichoice saying the SABC needed money.

The plan to create a 24-hour news channel was agreed to but when it was established the costs were too high. An undeterred Motsoeneng hammered home the deal through an interim SABC board, the newspaper report stated.

The new in coming board found many irregularities in the news channel deal as well as a second channel to be launched, Encore.

Motoseneng was not allowed to sign the deal but did so anyway.

The deal is believed to be around the control of set-top boxes but Multichoice has denied this.

The deal is also before the Competition Commission... and I hear from impeccable sources that the Commission is going to kill this deal.
— Charl Blignaut, City Press senior reporter

He says the deal means Multichoice will own a large chunk of the public broadcaster's archive.

Blignaut says City Press has received no response from SABC with regard to the allegations.

Listen to Charl Blignaut explain the details of the investigation below:

Written by: Barbara Friedman