The Johannesburg High Court is expected to continue hearing arguments on Wednesday against the third suspension of SABC Chief Executive Dali Mpofu.

The proceedings were delayed by technical arguments and two applications on Tuesday, both which were later withdrawn to prevent another postponement of the matter.

Judge Antonie Gildenhuys ruled on Tuesday that the application challenging the suspension was indeed urgent and is expected to hear arguments on Wednesday morning.

However, Gildenhuys warned that he would be able to rule on the legality of the SABC Board meeting only where the suspension was decided, but would not be able to rule on whether the suspension itself was unlawful.

Mpofu's lawyers want the court to declare the meeting where his suspension was decided as irregular, because Mpofu and two other Board members were asked not to attend.

He was first suspended on 7 May — a day after he suspended his news chief Snuki Zikalala, who was accused of leaking a memorandum on Mpofu's alleged bad management of the SABC.

This is his third suspension since then, and it has been overturned twice by the Johannesburg High Court.

Meanwhile, Zikakalala has been reinstated in his position as SABC head of news because the Board believes that Mpofu did not have the authority to suspend him.

Sapa