JOHANNESBURG – Sacked SABC chief operations officer (COO) Chris Maroleng has confirmed to Eyewitness News that he will be appealing the findings by a disciplinary committee that found him guilty of gross negligence. He is also keen to appeal the decision by the board to fire him.
The SABC board announced on Tuesday afternoon the termination of the contract of Maroleng.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the SABC stated, “After due consideration of the findings and recommendations of a disciplinary process, the Board resolved to terminate the contract of employment of its Chief Operations Officer, Mr Chris Maroleng, with immediate effect.”
Maroleng was found guilty of three charges related to gross negligence and breaching fiduciary duties as a director.
According to the disciplinary inquiry report seen by Eyewitness News, Maroleng was found guilty of breaching his fiduciary duties as a director after writing a recommendation letter for former employee Marcia Mahlalela who had left the institution under a cloud of suspicion.
The report states that Maroleng downplayed allegations of misconduct which Mahlalela was facing before she resigned from the SABC just before she was due to appear before a disciplinary committee.
Maroleng was also found guilty of irregularly appointing and paying an allowance to one Carmen Schnider for a period of three months for a position that did not exist in the SABC’s corporate structure.
Meanwhile, Tshifiwa Mulaudzi, who heads the public broadcaster’s commercial enterprise, was suspended earlier this month.
