Bowing under pressure from both South African Minister of Communications Roy Padayachie and the media, the board of public broadcaster SABC on 21 January disclosed the amount that its former suspended GCEO, Solly Mokoetle, is to receive following his resignation on 19 January.
The statement reads:
“The SABC board notes with concern the speculation in the media around the package of the former GCEO, Mr. Solly Mokoetle who resigned four years prior to the expiry of his term. Whilst wanting to respect the confidentiality of the settlement, it is in the interests of transparency and to put an end to negative and incorrect media reports that the Board has decided to make the disclosure, that Mr Mokoetle was paid an equivalent of his 12 months’ salary which amounts to R3.4m inclusive of leave and other entitlements as a full and final settlement. We reiterate that we wish each other well in our future endeavors.’
Now the industry knows what the annual salary of the SABC GCEO is. Whether anyone actually wants the now vacant job is the question, considering the broadcaster’s financial crisis, executive management problems, board resignations and friction between the board and its chairman.
