Solly Mokoetle, who quit as SABC chief executive this week, allegedly received close to R3-million of his annual salary as a settlement. But well-placed sources say he will walk away with “virtually nothing” after paying taxes and legal bills amounting to R1,6 million.
The settlement was reached after the interim board, led by Irene Charnley, drew up his five-year contract, ensuring that it left no room for manoeuvre, after it had conceded the hefty payout of R11-million to his predecessor, Dali Mpofu.
Mokoetle told the Mail & Guardian he could not buy presents for his children at Christmas and had struggled to pay their school fees after drowning in legal bills following his suspension by the broadcaster’s board in August last year.
While he could have continued earning his executive salary as he fought to get his job back, he said he had chosen to bring the ordeal to an end.
“The SABC board was using public funds to fight this battle, and I had to dig into my own pocket. My family was taking severe strain,” Mokoetle said. “I’m going to go on holiday. I need a rest. Maybe I’ll go fishing and play some golf.
“Something like this is very personal and I had to fund myself. I was borrowing money from friends and the banks.” Mokoetle had been in the job for only eight months when the board laid 17 charges against him.
He refused to give details of the settlement. “All I will say is it was not an obscene amount. I’m not trying to fleece the national broadcaster but I have to survive. You ain’t seen the last of Solly Mokoetle yet.”
Mokoetle was charged with failing to deliver a turnaround strategy for the SABC, but claimed he and the SABC turnaround committee had been working on the strategy since he assumed office.
“I think my situation was very unfortunate,” he said. “You have a board of people who don’t understand broadcasting and strategy. I don’t think we were ever going to work well together.”
Mokoetle fell out with board members when he backed Ben Ngubane, the board chairperson, who had unilaterally appointed Phil Molefe as news head in May.
But Mokoetle said this week that most members of the SABC board had made it clear to him from his first day in office, in January last year, that they did not want him in the job. He was appointed by the interim board before the new board took over.
“Most elements of the board made it very clear they did not want me because they had wanted the chance to appoint their own man,” he said. “But even if you’re appointed by the board, that doesn’t guarantee success.”
Mokoetle said he had wanted to continue in his job because he was trained for it but continuing to fight his case would cost him and his family dearly.