Parliament’s portfolio committee on Communications are demanding answers as to why the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) was appealing a Western Cape High Court ruling which effectively left controversial group executive for corporate affairs, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, without a job.

In a statement, the committee said these answer must come from Communications Minister Faith Muthambi.

The Committee had hoped that the expensive and protracted legal battle was concluded, and believed that the matter belonged to the past, the statement said.

“Committee Chairperson Mr Humphrey Maxegwana said that the Committee will ask to be briefed in detail by the Minister of Communications, Ms Faith Muthambi, about reasons behind the appeal.”

The SABC currently has no board after several resignations last year. The “last man standing” as one judge put, former board chairperson Mbulaheni Maguvhe, eventually resigned after going on live television saying he would not quit, calling MPs bullies.

The communications committee, who are tasked with finding an interim five-person board, are not happy with the SABC’s latest move to get Motsoeneng back at the SABC. The court last year ruled Motsoeneng unfit to hold any office at the broadcaster until a damning report by the public protector was set aside or fresh disciplinary hearings exonerated him from wrongdoing.

MPs want the court ruling to be executed.

“Mr Maxegwana reiterated further that in the absence of a non-executive Board at the SABC, it will be interesting for the Committee to hear from the Minister, as the shareholder representative, why the SABC found it difficult to implement the ruling.”

Muthambi and the SABC are among those who have to respond to a damning draft report by a parliamentary ad hoc committee who inquired into the the affairs of the broadcaster.