The Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday postponed until next week the case dealing with SABC CEO Dali Mpofu’s third suspension.
This was to give Mpofu and the SABC board more time to try to settle their dispute outside the courts, as was suggested by Judge Mahomed Jajbhay last week.
”The SABC failed again to file its papers,” Mpofu said.
”They were given until Friday last week to file their answering affidavits, and then we gave them another extension until yesterday [Monday].
”Hopefully we will get their papers [soon] … I told my lawyers they must try to get the papers and find out what their final attitude is on lifting the suspension before we can do the mediation.
”If, by Thursday, nothing positive happens, we will go to court next Tuesday,” said Mpofu.
He said he was hoping to resolve the matter outside the court by then, but was not sure whether the board shared his sentiments.
Judge Jajbhay last week called on all parties involved in the case to consider outside mediation.
”Please, forget your personal differences. Please try to resolve this matter … it can be resolved … It’s in the national interest to resolve this matter once and for all,” said Jajbhay.
Mpofu was in court to appeal his third suspension from the public broadcaster.
He filed court papers two weeks ago that highlighted differences between board members. He wanted the court to order President Thabo Mbeki and Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri to sack the board.
Mpofu was first suspended on May 7, a day after he suspended his news chief, Snuki Zikalala, who was accused of leaking a memorandum on Mpofu’s alleged bad management of the SABC.
Mpofu challenged his suspension and the Johannesburg High Court ruled in his favour.
A few days later, Mpofu was suspended for a second time. On June 2, the court again set his suspension aside and denied the SABC board leave to appeal its judgement. — Sapa