Viewers of the eNCA (DStv 403), South Africa's only independent 24-hour TV news channel continues to see an on-air sea change of faces since last month which is continuing in July and will continue into August as familiar faces left and continue to leave the channel and new faces are added.
ALSO READ: The eNCA's exodus of on-air staff continues as Macfarlane Moleli and Lance Witten leave, following Rashaan Ramkissoon out the door.
While the eNCA is keeping its brilliant primetime pairing of Iman Rappetti and Jeremy Maggs intact on the channel's flagship nightly newscast News Night, a swirl of changes has been happening.
Dan Moyane joined the eNCA on-air from the beginning of this month who've previously worked for eNews. He now anchors with Ayanda Allie-Paine from 06:00 to 09:00 on weekdays on the eNCA.
Nikiwe Bikitsha has been seen back on the air, reporting for the channel on Nelson Mandela after her year-long study break. The eNCA has not yet said where Nikiwe Bikitsha will be used in future.
It's not clear why the eNCA would put someone on as an anchor who is also a "spin doctor" of sorts. Are news anchor not supposed to be impartial and unbiased?
Apparently not at the eNCA - the now gone Macfarlane Moleli blatantly made know his own political inclinations live on the eNCA in September last year
Patrick Conroy, the group head of news at the eNCA says "Dan Moyane is one of the most experienced broadcasters in South Africa having worked for the BBC, 702 and eNews previously."
Patrick Conroy says "we will confirm Nikiwe Bikitsha's role in due course. She very kindly returned early from the United States to assist with our coverage of former president Nelson Mandela. We still have a few things to finalise but we are thrilled to have her back too."
Other major eNCA on-air changes involve Gareth Edwards moving from the morning slot to anchor the news on the eNCA now from 9:00 to 13:00.
Eleni Giokos won't be gone permanently, but she might not be back in the mornings on the eNCA when she returns where her addition to the channel with stellar coverage, intelligent conversation and informed and off-the-cuff background information she has at the tip of her fingers make for clever television.
"Eleni Giokos has now been offered a full-time contract with the eNCA and will return to play a more prominent role within the business," says Patrick Conroy.
"We are beefing up, not making wholesale changes. Dan Moyane's return to the eNCA signals our intention to add gravitas to key areas of our business," says Patrick Conroy.
"We are in discussion with a number of senior TV news people and look forward to announcing more additions to our team in the next few months," says Patrick Conroy.
