Mpofu says his suspension is based on bias

Mpofu suspects the decision to suspend him is meant to protect Zikalala

Suspended SABC Group CEO Dali Mpofu says his suspension is tainted by bias. This is stated in the papers filed by Mpofu in the Johannesburg High Court in his urgent application to declare his suspension unlawful.

In his affidavit, Mpofu says his suspension was an ulterior motive, taken in compliance with a political instruction in order to protect suspended News and Current Affairs Chief Snuki Zikalala. He says the allegations in the memorandum written by the SABC board Chairperson, Khanyisile Mkhonza, are not part of his suspension but a desire to protect Zikalala. Mpofu also says he made the application an urgent one, saying the broadcaster will come to a grinding halt due to his suspension.

Mampone’s appointment unlawful
Mpofu lawyers also say that the appointment of acting GCEO Gab Mampone is unlawful. He says that in terms of the SABC's own statutory guidelines, an acting GCEO must be an executive director. This means he must be either the Chief Operations Officer or the Chief Financial Officer.

Meanwhile, the SABC has argued that Mpofu's court application is not urgent. The SABC also argued that that Mpofu's suspension will not make operations at the SABC grind to a halt. The SABC has submitted an answering affidavit exceeding 250 pages which the judge said he still needs to finish reading and later adjourned the proceedings.