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By Daniel Friedman

Digital news editor


Hlaudi is one of the best people, says Hlaudi

During the interview, Motsoeneng stood by the controversial 90% local content policy he introduced while COO of the SABC.


Founder of brand new political party the African Content Movement, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, was interviewed on Eusebius McKaiser’s radio show on 702 and Cape Talk on Monday, where he displayed the bravado he is famous for.

Motsoeneng, despite having been accused of mismanagement and corruption while COO of the SABC, has long maintained that he did a great job at the public broadcaster. He was typically confident during the interview, in which he often engaged in a habit he is well known for – referring to himself in the third person.

“Hlaudi is a very good leader, Hlaudi is one of the best people,” he said at one point, adding that he was “an action man” who would get things done if he ever became president, a possibility the former COO appears to find far more likely than the average South African.

This was part of Motsoeneng’s response to a caller who accused him of having stolen from the SABC and said he must “hamba”.

“People will talk, I’m a leader,” Motsoeneng said.

“If I was corrupt I was supposed to be in jail,” he continued, “There are no Hawks, no police investigating Hlaudi.”

A caller asked Motsoeneng why he would choose to start a party which might “split the black vote”.

READ MORE: You are not a credible person, Hlaudi tells Eusebius

His answer led to McKaiser questioning his motives in starting the African Content Movement, saying he may have done so to “avenge” the ANC due to being angry at having to leave the SABC.

“I have never been angry in my life, that’s why I don’t have stress,” was Motsoeneng’s response.

Motsoeneng also stood behind the controversial 90% local content quota that is alleged to have contributed to the broadcaster’s financial decline.

“The reason why SABC was financially sustainable while I was there was because of the quota,” he claimed.

His interviewer was unconvinced.

“You don’t have the facts, but you’re sure you’re right,” McKaiser said.

Motsoeneng did not let McKaiser’s views during the interview go unchallenged.

Earlier in the interview, he told McKaiser that he had been “tarnishing” his name.

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