It seems SABC COO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, believes divine appointment to leadership by God trumps an education and qualifying to occupy top positions in management, such as is in his case.

Motsoeneng was talking at this morning’s Post #SONA2016 TNA Business Brief in Cape Town on behalf of the SABC as a partner in delivering the regular platform for discussion.

Mostoeneng highlighted what he termed a successful economic outlook for the SABC, its partnership with the Gupta-owned media houses, ANN7 and The New Age and how it’s contributing to job creation and innovation in South Africa.

“When people were saying the economy was not doing well for the country, the economy was doing well for the SABC [sic]” he said.

“I always differ with intellectuals, because sometimes, I don’t see this intellectual in them. They may not like it but that’s how I see it,” Motsoeneng went on.

In an obvious defence of his competence as COO and having lied about having a matric qualification back when he first started working at the SABC, when in fact he did not have one, Motsoeneng said not all intellectuals can lead and that “there are those who are chosen to lead by God”.

“Those who are chosen, they will always lead…I always argue with intellectuals that as long as I see this nice degree but I don’t get exactly what are you telling me or are influencing me to do, I will not recognise that, [sic],” he said.

Motsoeneng even borrowed from the example of the ministry of Jesus to “prove” that one need not have completed school with any sort of qualification to be a leader.

“It can’t be right South Africans, to say people like myself who don’t have matric, I can’t lead the organisation because the experience has shown that people have been there…our own leaders even historically…Jesus Christ, I’m telling you the truth…people were asking who is this Jesus Christ, some of them were intellectuals if you read Bible [sic] and that was the person who saved people,” he explained.

In 2014, a report by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela ruled that Mostoeneng was incompetent to run the national broadcaster because of, among other things, his lying about his qualification.

In response, the DA made an urgent court application to have him removed from his position.

The case dragged on into 2015 with the the Western Cape High Court ruling he should be suspended pending an investigation into the matter. An appeal by Motsoeneng brought before the Supreme Court of Appeal to overturn the ruling, failed.

The case ended last year with all charges against Mostoeneng being dropped after an internal SABC found he could not have lied about his qualification.

You can watch Motsoeneng’s speech on the SABC YouTube channel.

[Image – YouTube]