The SABC’s former acting chief executive, Gab Mampone, has accused the new chief executive, Solly Mokoetle, of having a pre-existing agenda to get him sacked.
Breaking his silence in an interview this week, Mampone said: “I was given 48 hours to make a submission as to why I should not be suspended. In my submission I raised the issue that Mr Mokoetle was reported in City Press saying that the first thing he would do when he came back was fire me.
“I don’t care if he likes me or not. I’m a professional and can work with anyone. There’s a huge injustice in my suspension and it must now be exposed.”
Mokoetle hit back, saying it was laughable that Mampone should raise the City Press interview, as he had spoken tongue in cheek many years ago.
“He must tell you when that interview was,” Mokoetle said. “His suspension is going to be investigated and we should wait for the matter to be completed. I really can’t engage on that.”
Mampone said he believed the interview was in 2008, but Mokoetle’s quote was repeated in another report in January this year, shortly before Mampone’s suspension in February.
“Mr Mokoetle has never refuted what he said,” Mampone noted. “It’s gone down in history and his views will be restated again and again.”
Two days before he was suspended, Mampone said he was handed a letter outlining “vague and illogical” allegations against him.
Although no charges had yet been laid against him, he understood he was suspended because staff who fell under him when he was head of the commercial enterprises division were accused of budget abuse and ordering unauthorised gifts.
But he insisted that the staffers did not fall under him at the time because he was “putting out fires” as the acting chief executive.
Mampone maintained that the acting group executive of commercial enterprises in that period was Strini Naicker, who has since resigned.
“To make matters worse, two more people have been appointed to the post, both since recalled,” he said. “No one is in control of the commercial enterprises division, which I successfully ran for a few years without fear or favour.
“There’s no basis for my suspension and I’m willing and able to return to work at the SABC.” He said his suspension three weeks ago had come as a “terrible shock” as there had been no warning of problems.
Mampone said an internal audit of the commercial enterprises division was handed to his personal assistant on the day of his suspension.
“All I know is that I was supposed to take action against staff based on that internal audit. But I was suspended on the day it was handed to my PA. There are no charges against me and my rights have been violated,” he said.
“People are already talking about the post-Gab Mampone era. But they’re absolutely wrong. I’m still at the SABC and I’ll be back.”