Durban - Former SABC Chief Operating Officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng on Wednesday said stood firmly behind the decisions he took while at helm at the public broadcaster.
Motsoeneng said this included the controversial R553m deal with Multichoice, which was signed in 2013.
Former communications minister Yunue Carrim testified at the Zondo Commission that the deal which Motsoeneng was in support of, saw the SABC getting a news channel on MultiChoice’s pay television platform DSTV, while the public broadcaster would also be paid R553m over five years as a form of “regulatory capture”.
The deal saw MultiChoice also gaining access to the SABC’s archives, an issue that Carrim was concerned about.
Carrim told the commission that he was concerned that the value of the SABC archives was worth more than the offer tabled by MultiChoice.
He estimated that the archives alone could have been worth about R1bn, almost double the amount that was eventually paid by MultiChoice.
Speaking to Independent Media on Wednesday, Motsoeneng said that he was prepared to head back to the State Capture Inquiry to respond to claims made by Carrim and former SABC CEO Lulama Mokhobo.
“I still stand by what I said to the commission at the time when I appeared, but I’m also aware that Yunus Carrim and Lulama (Mokhobo) went there and said whatever they said to the commission, so I’m going to respond to all those allegations.
“I’ll be there, I’m going to go back to the commission and deal with all those issues, but I’m not going to give the details because I will reveal them when I get to the commission. But what I can say to you is that it’s nonsensical for people to believe what Lulama is saying, including Carrim,” he said.
Motsoeneng lamented what he called South Africans believing allegations as facts and urged South Africans to wait for him to head back to the commission to deal with those allegations, which will make South Africans realise that “those people are misleading them”.
He said that it was “very interesting” that Carrim had referred to the deal as “regulatory capture” but reiterated that he would deal with such issues when he faces the commission again.
He did not indicate when he would be returning to the commission, but that he and his lawyers would wait for the commission to give them a date.
“The deal was good for the country and the SABC, but I will deal with the specifics when I am at the commission."
He added that he was still cool, happy and relaxed and had no problems.
"You can't sustain a lie, but you can sustain the truth," said Motsoeneng.