The Public Protector says it threatens to entrench a culture of impunity among people in power.

JOHANNESBURG – Public Protector Thuli Madonsela says the nearly R1 million adjustment to SABC Chief Operations Officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng‘s salary is bizarre, and threatens to entrench a culture of impunity among people in power.

Madonsela’s office recommended Motsoeneng be suspended for his initial increase, while he did not hold a matric certificate.

He has come under increasing pressure after it emerged in Parliament that he received another increase.

Madonsela says South Africa’s anti-corruption units must guard against the effects of the scourge on governance.

“It is bizarre, and it is not really about my office. It is about impunity that if you do wrong things and there are no consequences, the entire system becomes poisoned. In that, everyone else looks at what could you do better with the impunity.”

Last week, Motsoeneng said he is paid according to a benchmark set by the public broadcaster and defended his increase by saying the public broadcaster is “doing well”.

The public broadcaster’s annual report shows Motsoeneng received R3.7 million, up from R2.8 million.

(Edited by Shimoney Regter)