Johannesburg-Friday, 29 December 2023 – Whilst the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) would prefer not to engage further on the various allegations levelled against Ukhozi FM Business Manager, it has become increasingly important to respond in view of setting the record straight following further allegations.

On Thursday, 28 December 2023, the SABC issued a media statement noting the aforesaid allegations. In the aforesaid media statement, the SABC categorically stated that, although some of the allegations are personal in nature, the Corporation will, where it deems it necessary, look into some of them. To this end, the SABC appeals to anyone who has any evidence of such allegations to come forward with same.

The SABC has also noted new allegations, through audio-visual message circulating on social media featuring an individual who had an extinct partnership with the SABC regarding the new year crossover song. The aforesaid terminated was a three-year Event Sponsorship Agreement in relation to the hosting of the SABC Summer Song of the Year Event, which lapsed at the end of March 2019. Therefore, the SABC can confirm that it does not have any contractual relationship with this individual.

However, the SABC has noted a pattern in the past couple of years, of continuous various unsubstantiated allegations against SABC Radio Management by the same individual, raised around the same period of year, and always just prior to SABC Radio stations implementing their new year cross-over-songs or what is termed as song of the year. This appears to be a deliberate smearing campaign strategy against SABC Radio and its employees for reasons better known to this individual.

It should be noted that all the participating radio stations have campaigns that are dubbed in different names and none of them is labelled SABC Summer Song of the Year as was previously known during the three-year period in which the contract was active. This is so because there is a continuous dispute between the SABC and this individual on the ownership of the SABC Summer Song of the Year, which matter is still pending before the Courts. However, the SABC reiterates that no external party came to the SABC and introduced the concept of SABC radio stations playing the top song/s as the country crosses over into a new year. It must be further noted that the SABC Song of the Year initiative has always been implemented by the SABC for many years whereby SABC Radio stations closed the year with music hits countdown.

The SABC would like to reiterate its commitment in assuring the public and relevant stakeholders that the song of the year campaigns on all the participating radio stations are subject to stringent criteria setting processes and sound measures have been put in place for the counting of the votes and announcement of the winners.

Ends

Issued By:                              Group Communications

Media Enquiries:                   Ms. Mmoni Seapolelo (Acting Group Executive: Corporate Affairs and Marketing)

Seapolelomv@sabc.co.za | T. 011 714 3057 | C. 073 688 1590