EVEN though he received a R900,000 settlement for resigning, former South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) employee Bernard Koma said he had felt pressured by suspended SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng to do so.
Mr Koma was the fourth witness called on Wednesday at Mr Motsoeneng’s disciplinary hearing, which resumed on Monday.
He said he had worked at the SABC from 1981 until he resigned in 2011. At the time, he was the manager of news logistics.
Mr Koma’s troubles began after he was asked to initiate a disciplinary process against Mr Motsoeneng regarding his "matric certificate" in about 2002.
The hearing never concluded.
He said his departure from the SABC stemmed from an accusation that he had used R20m of the state broadcaster’s money to buy Mercedes-Benz cars.
Mr Koma denied the accusation, saying that the car-leasing company used by the SABC did not have the Toyotas it wanted.
A few days later, Mr Motsoeneng told the media the SABC had "fingered the manager who had (irregularly) purchased 20 Mercedes" vehicles.
Mr Koma said he was asked to collect a charge sheet on the Friday of that week, informing him that he would be disciplined for "irregular expenditure".
He tendered his resignation the following Monday.
"I decided to tender my resignation, I felt that I was pressured to do exactly that. The pressure was too much on me and … my family suffered," said Mr Koma.
Mr Koma was one of the six senior staff members mentioned in the public protector’s report, as people who were allegedly purged by Mr Motsoeneng.
However, when Mr Motsoeneng’s lawyer, Zola Majavu, asked whether Mr Motsoeneng had directly initiated his departure, Mr Koma denied that he had done so personally.
Before proceedings began, the SABC tried again to get the media thrown out of the hearing, but was unsuccessful.
Hearing chairman Willem Edeling ruled that the media be allowed to stay because the matter was of "great public interest".
Mr Motsoeneng is being disciplined on charges of gross dishonesty, gross misconduct and abuse of power.
He is accused of lying about his matric qualification, inflating staff salaries and creating a position for one of them.
The SABC is expected to conclude calling its witnesses on Thursday.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng. Picture: MARTIN RHODES
EVEN though he received a R900,000 settlement for resigning, former South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) employee Bernard Koma said he had felt pressured by suspended SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng to do so.
Mr Koma was the fourth witness called on Wednesday at Mr Motsoeneng’s disciplinary hearing, which resumed on Monday.
He said he had worked at the SABC from 1981 until he resigned in 2011. At the time, he was the manager of news logistics.
Mr Koma’s troubles began after he was asked to initiate a disciplinary process against Mr Motsoeneng regarding his "matric certificate" in about 2002.
The hearing never concluded.
He said his departure from the SABC stemmed from an accusation that he had used R20m of the state broadcaster’s money to buy Mercedes-Benz cars.
Mr Koma denied the accusation, saying that the car-leasing company used by the SABC did not have the Toyotas it wanted.
A few days later, Mr Motsoeneng told the media the SABC had "fingered the manager who had (irregularly) purchased 20 Mercedes" vehicles.
Mr Koma said he was asked to collect a charge sheet on the Friday of that week, informing him that he would be disciplined for "irregular expenditure".
He tendered his resignation the following Monday.
"I decided to tender my resignation, I felt that I was pressured to do exactly that. The pressure was too much on me and … my family suffered," said Mr Koma.
Mr Koma was one of the six senior staff members mentioned in the public protector’s report, as people who were allegedly purged by Mr Motsoeneng.
However, when Mr Motsoeneng’s lawyer, Zola Majavu, asked whether Mr Motsoeneng had directly initiated his departure, Mr Koma denied that he had done so personally.
Before proceedings began, the SABC tried again to get the media thrown out of the hearing, but was unsuccessful.
Hearing chairman Willem Edeling ruled that the media be allowed to stay because the matter was of "great public interest".
Mr Motsoeneng is being disciplined on charges of gross dishonesty, gross misconduct and abuse of power.
He is accused of lying about his matric qualification, inflating staff salaries and creating a position for one of them.
The SABC is expected to conclude calling its witnesses on Thursday.
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