Media Statements – Page 81 – SABC

THE SABC BOARD TAKES ACTION ON WHISTLE BLOWER ALLEGATIONS

MEDIA STATEMENT

THE SABC BOARD TAKES ACTION ON WHISTLE BLOWER ALLEGATIONS

Johannesburg, Monday, 26 March 2018-Following the recent media reports containing allegations about the SABC tender process for the provision of security services, the SABC Board wishes to set out a brief history, set the record straight and outline the steps it has taken to deal with the issue.

The SABC Board is committed to compliance with all laws and regulations and will ensure that where there is alleged wrongdoing the matter will be urgently investigated. In the event that any allegations of wrongdoing in the entire value chain of decision making are proven, decisive and appropriate action will be taken.

In July 2017 the SABC Interim Board (IB) awarded a tender to Mafoko Security for the provision of physical security services at the SABC’s Auckland Park Offices and TV Outside Broadcasts building. One of the losing bidders, Mjayeli Security, was aggrieved by this award and in December 2017 began a litigation process to review the SABC decision.

On the 22^nd of February 2018, during the early stages of this litigation process, the SABC Board Chairperson, Bongumusa Makhathini, received an anonymous e-mail making allegations about two members of the SABC Board who were part of the Interim Board when the security service tender was awarded.

Within a few days of receipt of this anonymous e-mail (“the whistleblower report”), the two board members agreed with the Board chairperson to recuse themselves from any deliberations on the issue. The decision was later ratified by the Board.

On the 01^st of March 2018 the SABC Chairperson, Bongumusa Makhathini wrote a letter to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) requesting them to speed up the ongoing investigation of the entire handling of the tender process prior to the IB decision, the IB decision and now the whistleblower report.

On the 6^th of March 2018, the SABC Chairperson received affidavits deposed to by the two board members wherein they unequivocally rejected the allegations and denied any wrongdoing. These affidavits have been submitted to the SIU for inclusion in the ongoing investigation. The two board members have also reserved their rights to sue for defamation should it be found that the allegations are malicious.

The SABC then approached the High Court for condonation that the Court suspend hearing the Mjayeli Security matter until the SIU had finalised their investigation into the handling of the tender and all related allegations.

The SABC cannot prejudge the outcome of the SIU investigation and accordingly believes that it is in the interest of justice that the proceedings are suspended until the SIU has completed its work on the disputed tender. The SABC is prepared to accede to an order that the SIU completes its work and report in less than six months. This is a preferable route to taking any definitive decisions now, which could be reversed by the findings of the SIU.

On the 22^nd March 2018, after the SABC had made its court application to hold the court proceedings in abeyance, the SABC Chairperson, Bongumusa Makhathini received a media query with respect to the litigation and the whistleblower report. Although the litigation is a public process and the issues had been raised by the Honourable Mr. M. Kalako MP and responded to by the SABC in Parliament on the 20^th of March 2018, the Board has decided to provide further clarity and register its commitment to doing things differently.

“The SABC Board is committed to compliance with all laws and regulations and will ensure that any matter where wrongdoing is alleged is urgently investigated. In the event that any of the allegations of wrongdoing are proven, decisive action will be taken”, says SABC Chairperson, Bongumusa Makhathini.

The Mjayeli security matter is currently before the courts and is the subject of an ongoing SIU investigation. The SABC will be guided by the outcome of these processes.

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Issued by Group Communications on behalf of the SABC Board Chairperson, Mr. Bongumusa Makhathini.

Media Enquiries

Kaizer Kganyago

SABC Spokesperson

082 306 8888

BONGANI BINGWA JOINS THE SABC TELEVISION NEWS TEAM

MEDIA STATEMENT

BONGANI BINGWA JOINS THE SABC TELEVISION NEWS TEAM

Johannesburg, Thursday 08 March 2018 – The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is pleased to announce Bongani Bingwa who is joining our news anchoring pool. Mr. Bingwa will co-host the 18h00-21h00 slot on SABC’s 24 hour news Channel with Francis Herd from Monday, 12 March 2018. This includes presenting the 21h00 bulletin which simulcasts on SABC 3.

Mr. Bingwa brings to the SABC a wealth of knowledge in journalism for both radio and television news and current affairs.

Welcoming Mr. Bingwa to the SABC, Ms. Phathiswa Magopeni, Group Executive for News and Current Affairs division stated: “As part of our continued efforts to stay relevant in the highly dynamic and competitive broadcasting space, it is crucial that we recruit the best talent that will deliver cutting-edge news and current affairs programmes which are well researched, balanced and fair.”

In responding to his appointment Mr. Bingwa said that “I am excited to be part of the changes at the SABC and to join a team that will be creating a new legacy for the public broadcaster”.

As a leading public service broadcaster, our priority is to deliver on our mandate and to constantly strive to serve our audiences better as we educate, inform and entertain them.

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Media Enquiries

Kaizer Kganyago

SABC Spokesperson

082 306 8888

SABC BOARD STATEMENT ON THE RESIGNATION OF DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON, MS. FEBE POTGIETER-GQUBULE

MEDIA STATEMENT

SABC BOARD STATEMENT ON THE RESIGNATION OF DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON, MS. FEBE POTGIETER-GQUBULE

Johannesburg, Thursday 01 March 2018-The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Board has received the resignation of Board member and Deputy Chairperson Ms. Febe Potgieter-Gqubule. As indicated in her appointment interview by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee of Communications (PCC) in September 2017, Ms. Potgieter-Gqubule undertook to resign from the Board if she was appointed in any official capacity which could potentially constitute a material conflict of interest.

The African National Congress (ANC) has now confirmed that Ms. Potgieter-Gqubule has been appointed as the ANC’s Elections General Manager and, accordingly, she has tendered her resignation from the SABC Board which will be duly communicated to the President and the PCC.

The SABC Board wishes to express its gratitude to Ms. Potgieter-Gqubule for her outstanding contribution to the SABC both as Interim Board member and as Deputy Chairperson of the current Board. We wish her well on her new role.

Ms. Potgieter-Gqubule’s resignation leaves the Board with three vacant positions; therefore, the SABC will be communicating to the relevant authorities the urgency of appointing the new SABC Board members to fill these vacancies.

Issued by Group Communications on behalf of the SABC Board Chairperson, Mr. Bongumusa Makhathini.

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Media Enquiries

Kaizer Kganyago

SABC Spokesperson

Group Communications

082 306 8888

THE BCCSA RULES IN FAVOUR OF THE SABC

MEDIA STATEMENT

THE BCCSA RULES IN FAVOUR OF THE SABC

Johannesburg- Wednesday, 21 February 2018 –The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) ruled in favour of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in respect to a complaint submitted by Mr Thinus Ferreira regarding the news item that was broadcast on 02 November 2017 at 18H00.

Mr Ferreira felt that the SABC’s News Division failed to produce and deliver a balanced, fair and accurate report of the ‘Black Monday’ protest. In his complaint, he condemned the use of strong language, visuals of the old South African, AWB and German Swastika flags and questioned why the flags were shown. He further stated that the SABC spread wrong information and made an issue of national importance worse.

The SABC disputed these claims, maintaining that the march was fairly covered and the focus of the story was about the actions of the protesters. The story was angled to look at other aspects that had not been covered. Nowhere in the clip did the reporter or the Minister say the burning of the flag happened on that day. Whether the words used in the story are strong or not, it is Mr Ferreira’s subjective view.

Having considered all the facts from the Complainant and the Respondent, the BCCSA found no contravention of the Broadcasting Code of Conduct. The evaluation report specified that the complaint was not fair, accurate and truthful and the news item in question was presented in a correct context and in a fair manner without intentional or negligent departure from facts whether by distortion, material omission or summarisation. Mr Ferreira’s complaints were therefore not upheld. The SABC is pleased with the ruling as it serves as a clear indication that we are upholding the BCCSA’s code of conduct and the editorial policy.

As a public service broadcaster, the SABC would like to reassure its audiences of its unwavering commitment to deliver news that is well-researched, accurate and unbiased, without compromising its public mandate, integrity and editorial independence.

Please refer to the attached BCCSA ruling.

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Media Enquiries

Mr. Kaizer Kganyago

SABC Spokesperson

082 306 8888

THE SABC APPOINTS MS. PHATHISWA MAGOPENI AS THE GROUP EXECUTIVE FOR NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS DIVISION

MEDIA STATEMENT

THE SABC APPOINTS MS. PHATHISWA MAGOPENI AS THE GROUP EXECUTIVE FOR NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS DIVISION

Johannesburg, Monday, 12 February 2018- The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Phathiswa Magopeni as the Group Executive: News & Current Affairs effective from the 01^st of March 2018. This appointment is in line with the corporation’s continuous commitment to ensure that all Group Executive vacancies are filled in order to achieve sound governance in all the SABC’s business units. It also affirms our commitment to attract and retain the best skills to address the evolving broadcasting environment enabled by technology.

Ms. Magopeni brings to the SABC a wealth of great knowledge in broadcasting, particularly within the news environment. She has obtained an Honours degree, Master of Philosophy in Education, Integrated Marketing Communications Diploma, Master of Business Administration (MBA) and she is currently working on a doctoral proposal for a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree with Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). With her great experience in the field of broadcasting as a seasoned Journalist and having being able to successfully manage one of the newsrooms in South Africa, Ms. Magopeni will surely take the SABC to greater heights.

Reacting to the news of her appointment Ms. Magopeni says “South Africa’s public broadcaster has always played an indispensable role in the democratic order of the country, but it has also always had a special place in my own life. My first job in broadcasting was with the SABC; I learned a lot there, and have learned much in the industry since. Hopefully all that can be of use because this is for me a welcome return to where it all began. I am humbled by the trust shown in me, and look forward to being part of an institution which is crucial to providing independent news and information to South Africa’s citizenry”.

The SABC’s Chief Operations Officer (COO), Mr. Chris Maroleng stated that “As a public broadcaster we recognise the pivotal role played by news and information in human, social and economic growth and development. We therefore saw it fit to appoint Ms. Magopeni as she has the expertise in the broadcasting industry and we believe that her appointment will further strengthen our position as a credible and reliable news and information provider in the country as we approach the national general elections in 2019”.

Mr. Maroleng further stated that “We welcome Ms. Magopeni back to the SABC where she first cut her teeth in the broadcasting arena. We urge all staff members to welcome and support her in her role as the new Group Executive for news and current affairs division”.

As South Africa’s only public broadcaster, the SABC is mandated to deliver an unparalleled public value proposition of educating, informing and entertaining all South Africans. We therefore remain committed to ensuring that the millions of South African households who rely on SABC for news and current affairs are kept captivated on our news channels.

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Media Enquiries

Kaizer Kganyago

SABC Spokesperson

082 306 8888

SABC 3 RESCHEDULES 18H00 NEWS BULLETIN TO 21HOO AND ONKGOPOTSE JJ TABANE JOINS SABC 3

MEDIA STATEMENT

SABC 3 RESCHEDULES 18H00 NEWS BULLETIN TO 21HOO AND ONKGOPOTSE JJ TABANE JOINS SABC 3

Johannesburg, Monday 05 February 2018 – The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)’s commercial television channel, SABC 3 is moving the 18h00 news bulletin to 21h00 as from today. Mr Peter Ndoro and Ms Francis Herd will remain as the Presenters of this bulletin, whilst Chriselda Lewis and Aldrin Sampear will present the weekend edition.

The channel is also pleased to announce the introduction of a brand new Current Affairs programme, Frankly Speaking at 20h30 from Sunday 11 February 2018. This programme is an interactive show using skype and social media to encourage amplified viewer participation.

Frankly Speaking will be hosted by the renowned media personality Onkgopotse JJ Tabane. Mr Tabane is one of South Africa’s leading media and communications specialists, as well as a community activist and a business executive. He is an author and also a regular columnist for various publications.

The new current affairs programme will look at news of the day and preview important upcoming stories through high paced headlines.

These changes are informed by a great need to stay relevant, innovative and to keep up with the fast growing digital trends in the media space.

The SABC remains committed to delivering cutting-edge news and current affairs programmes which are well researched, balanced and fair.

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Media Enquiries

Kaizer Kganyago

SABC Spokesperson

082 306 8888

31 March 2018 is the deadline to register for subsidised Set Top Boxes (STB’s)

31 March 2018 is the deadline to register for subsidised Set Top Boxes (STB’s)

The Department of Communications (DoC) has announced the 31 March 2018 as the deadline for registration to receive government-subsidised STB’s or decoders in North West and Free State provinces. This comes as the DoC forges ahead to meet the new official switch-off of analogue signal to digital in June 2019.

Families earning below the threshold of R3200 qualify to receive the government-subsidised decoders. Qualifying households in the Free State and North West Provinces are therefore encouraged to register at their nearest Post Offices before the deadline of the 31 of March 2018.Households that fail to register and receive these decoders before the deadline will lose access to television services as from June 2019.

Government has since last year been distributing free STB’s to those families that cannot afford commercial devices. Television viewing households who subscribe to pay-tv channels will face no signal disruptions as these services are already in the digital decoders that they have.

The DoC also encourages households that fall outside the qualifying criteria to get digitally-enabled TV sets. When buying a new TV set, to ensure that it has a digital tuner.

Officials from the Department of Communications are currently visiting various municipality districts in the North West and Free State province to register and install government subsidised decoders to qualifying households. This move is aimed at accelerating the installation of decoders with view of completing the installations to qualifying households in both province.

SABC Corporate Communications

RADIO2000 INVITED TO BROADCAST IN EAST AFRICA

RADIO2000 INVITED TO BROADCAST IN EAST AFRICA

Johannesburg, Wednesday 31 January 2018 – SABC Radio Station, Radio2000 has been invited to tour Tanzania from 4 – 11 February 2018 by Tanzania Tourist Board. The invitation is to establish and strengthen a long term relationship with the station and to create content around the annual Sauti Za Busara Music Festival and tourism in Tanzania.

Radio2000 Station Manager: Ms Puleng Thulo says: “We at Radio2000 are proud to have been invited to broadcast in Tanzania – East Africa and especially at this time when we are talking about African unity and working together in terms of promoting arts, culture and tourism. We welcome this opportunity to expose our station to the African continent and to generate content that will benefit our listeners in South Africa.”

Radio2000’s breakfast show Planet Haaibo will broadcast from various tourist attraction sites in Tanzania such as Serengeti Park, Mount Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar from the 5^th – 10^th of February 2018.The Station has through the years forged relationships with African States, Embassies and High Commissions celebrating Africa Day and promoting #SayNOToXenophobia campaigns.

Radio2000 has broadcast at various High Commissions during AFCON tournaments and Africa Day, highlighting trade missions between South Africa and other African countries. In 2017 Radio2000 hosted a successful Africa Day and Heritage Day respectively at the SABC where various African Embassies and High Commissions were invited to exhibit their arts and culture as well as to promote tourism. Following those events, Tanzania Tourist Board saw it befitting to extend the invitation to the station to visit the country and to see what they have to offer.

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Media Enquiries

Mmaphuti Mpheroane

Acting Programmes Manager

079 183 8981 or Mmaphuti@radio2000.co.za

About Radio2000:

Radio2000 is the preferred station for South Africans with a mature mind-set who are looking to engage in positive and constructive dialogue to build, strengthen and unify the country and its people. Appealing to a diverse audience, the station offers cutting edge adult contemporary content that covers the latest in breaking news and issues of national importance, playing a blend of the best in local adult contemporary music from 60’s – 90’s including current hits! Radio2000 is the only station that offers the most exhilarating live commentary of the most popular spectator sports.

Through Radio2000’s compelling and relevant content, the station continually strives to create the best memories in radio for its listeners leaving audiences with a warm sense of nostalgia and a feeling of togetherness. Radio 2000 is the only national platform that offers advertisers access to the largest geographic footprint of South African adults.

Visit Radio2000 online at www.radio2000.co.za, or share your comments on Facebook, Twitter and photo of videos on Instagram @Radio2000ZA

SABC BOARD STATEMENT ON COO APPOINTMENT

MEDIA STATEMENT

SABC BOARD STATEMENT ON COO APPOINTMENT

Johannesburg, Tuesday, 30 January 2018– The Chairperson of the SABC on behalf of the board of the public broadcaster is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Chris Maroleng as the Chief Operations Officer of the SABC, with effect from 1 February 2018.

Mr Maroleng holds BA(Hons) and MA degrees from the University of Cape Town and has received several post-graduate scholarships and awards. He is an accomplished South African with successful careers at senior management level in television, telecommunications and corporate affairs.

Mr. Maroleng has demonstrated considerable management and financial acumen and he is familiar with the cutting-edge Fourth Industrial Revolution issues that the SABC needs to embrace going forward. He understands South Africa’s legislative and regulatory environment and his knowledge of broadcasting on the continent is invaluable as the SABC develops its coverage of, and in Africa.

Mr. Chris Maroleng said: “I accept the position at the SABC with deep humility, and appreciate the confidence that the Board has shown in me. I look forward to playing a role, as part of an executive team, in transforming the SABC into a world-class public broadcaster that is responsive to the needs of all South Africans.”

The Board’s priority has always been to urgently fill the top three executive vacancies, as expected and mandated by Parliament and the Shareholder. We believe that the appointment of the Chief Operations Officer is a significant step towards stabilising the executive leadership of the SABC. The Board is satisfied that this appointment process has followed all legal and governance requirements.

The adverts for the Group CEO and CFO have been placed, and the deadline for applications has been extended to 14 February 2018.

Issued by Group Communication on behalf of the SABC Board Chairperson, Mr. Bongumusa Makhathini.

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Media Enquiries

Kaizer Kganyago

SABC Spokesperson

082 306 8888

SABC SENDS A MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES TO SANDY MOKWENA’S FAMILY

MEDIA STATEMENT

SABC SENDS A MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES TO SANDY MOKWENA’S FAMILY

Johannesburg, Thursday 25 January 2018– The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)’s Board, management and staff would like to extend their deepest condolences to the Mokwena family, friends and fans for the passing of the veteran actor Sandy Mokoena.

Although Mr. Mokwena is currently known for the role he played on e.tv’s scandal, as Bra Eddie Khumalo, he has also featured on a number of SABC programmes such as Generations, Yizo Yizo, Soul City, Going Up and Khululeka among others.

Mokwena first cut his teeth in acting, playing the role of Cappie on the hit music ‘Ipi Tombi’ that went on a world tour in the early 70’s. Boasting almost four decades in the industry, South Africans have had the pleasure of watching him grow and evolve with every character he portrayed. His talent and craft was a sight to behold and his death is an immeasurable loss to the TV and Film fraternity.

He has assisted the SABC in fulfilling its mandate by showcasing his talent on our platforms in order to entertain our audiences. His life story may have come to an end, but his memories will remain alive in our archives. May his soul rest in peace.

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Media Enquiries

Kaizer Kganyago

SABC Spokesperson

082 306 8888