By Doreen Mokgolo
In his political campaign leading to the 29 May national elections, the president of the African Content Movement (ACM) Hlaudi Motsoeneng has declared himself the only candidate in the country fit for the job.
“There are no leaders in this country. They were all tried and tested and the results are there for everyone to see. This country is on the brink of collapse,” he said.
“They don’t have innovative ideas to grow the economy or improve service. Our infrastructure has collapsed due to failed maintenance, while my track record at the SABC speaks for itself.”
Motsoeneng, 56, was the acting chief operating officer of the corporation from 2011 to 2013 but was removed from his position after it was found that he lied about his qualifications.
Motsoeneng is well-known for his quotes. In 2015 he said: “Some leaders are born. Like myself, I am a born leader, so you can’t take that away from me.” In 2016 he said: “I believe that everywhere I am, I do miracles.”
In his report on the State Capture Commission, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo noted Motsoeneng’s “gross abuse of power” at the SABC.
In his interview with Scrolla.Africa, Motsoeneng said that as president he would need only three years to fix all the problems the country is facing and that if he fails he will step down.
“Councillors representing my party in Maluti-A-Phofung local municipality know that if they don’t perform I will recall them. I have already recalled the first councillors who were failing their communities,” he said.
“All functions will be carried out around the clock. There won’t be time to sleep. Improving the economy of this country needs hard-working men and women.”
Motsoeneng, who aims to be the next premier of the Free State if he doesn’t become president, said government employees will be well paid when he comes to power to ensure that they are not frustrated by their debts.
“An unhappy employee will sabotage progress on something that is happening in government,” he said.
Motsoeneng revealed that he talks to former president Jacob Zuma “every day” but doesn’t seek political advice from him because he is “naturally intelligent”.
ACM is contesting the elections nationally but only provincially in the Free State because of financial constraints.
Despite the ACM being in coalition with the ANC in Maluti-A-Phofung, with two councillors, Motsoeneng said he doesn’t believe in coalitions and will not be going into coalitions with any other political parties.
“Coalitions are a mess and will never work in South Africa. Voters must go out in numbers to vote for a single party that they believe will save this country from a state of collapse,” he said.
The party will not be launching an election manifesto as Motsoeneng doesn’t believe in selling ideas but in delivering.
Motsoeneng told TechCentral in November that he does not accept the Supreme Court of Appeal’s dismissal, with costs, of his application appealing an earlier high court judgment that the SABC’s payments to him of R11.5-million were “unlawful and invalid”.
He said his lawyers had approached the appeal court, which had accepted his plea for a “reconsideration” because the high court judge was “wrong in the law and the facts”.
Pictured above: The African Content Movement’s Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
Image source: Facebook
