Hlaudi wants to tell Zondo inquiry about how he captured himself

At an event for the newly formed African Content Movement (ACM) in Soweto over the weekend, party leader and former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng said he would be happy to testify at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture.

He added that if he did testify, he planned to dish the dirt on members of the ANC.

“If I go to the commission, some of the ANC people are going to be in trouble because I was not captured by them – they tried to capture me, but I capture myself, unfortunately,” Motsoeneng said.

READ MORE: Agrizzi confirms Hlaudi Motsoeneng received R1.1 million from Bosasa

The ACM leader then admitted that he was corrupt, but claimed it’s the “good corruption”.

“Maybe I should accept that I am corrupt, and I am accepting it. I am corrupt. My corruption is the good one because it is turning around the lives of the people of South Africa. That is my corruption. If they call me at the state capture commission, I am going to enjoy myself and I am going to tell them yes, I am corrupt, but this is the good corruption,” he said.

In January, former Bosasa chief operating officer (COO) Angelo Agrizzi’s testimony at the commission of inquiry into state capture on Friday confirmed reports that Motsoeneng received R1.1 million from the controversial company.

Should I be called to go testify at the Zondo commission, I will gladly do says ⁦@ACMServants⁩ President #HlaudiMotsoeneng pic.twitter.com/kgv4x0o0u6

— #VoteACM African Content Movement (@ACMServants) March 10, 2019

@ACMServants program in Pictures pic.twitter.com/ngUmEHRYd9

— #VoteACM African Content Movement (@ACMServants) March 10, 2019

City Press reported last year that Motsoeneng sourced money from Bosasa to pay for his legal fees following his axing from the public broadcaster.

According to a report in the Sunday Times last year, Motsoeneng confirmed that Bosasa – which has since been renamed African Global Operations — picked up his legal tab, but wouldn’t say why the company’s CEO, Gavin Watson, had stepped in to help him.

The legal fees were incurred by Motsoeneng’s failed defence in a disciplinary hearing last year.

READ MORE: Hlaudi is one of the best people, says Hlaudi

Sources told the Sunday Times that Bosasa, which was awarded state contracts worth billions, was allegedly pressured into paying Motsoeneng’s legal fees by then-president Jacob Zuma.

The paper quotes one source as saying: “When Zuma initially asked Watson to pay the legal fees, the businessman wasn’t keen. Then the president sent his messenger, [former SAA board chair] Dudu Myeni, to convince Watson to change his mind. The fees were paid.

“Bosasa was used as an ATM for politicians and those who are politically connected.”

When questioned about this, the paper quoted the former SABC boss as saying: “I have known Zuma for many years, since my days as a reporter for the SABC, and our relationship has nothing to do with politics. If I support my president [Zuma] whenever he goes to court as a matter of principle, then why can’t he support me?”

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