Anton Heunis out at SABC as acting CEO and taking early retirement; Nomsa Philiso taking over as SABC's commercial enterprises executive.

Anton Heunis, the SABC's acting CEO since September 2014, is out at the public broadcaster with the South African TV executive taking early retirement due to health reasons and Nomsa Philiso taking over in Anton Heunis' position as the SABC's group executive for commercial enterprises.

Anton Heunis is leaving the SABC after 35 years with the broadcasting corporation.

The South African public broadcaster refused to give an indication on when Anton Heunis is leaving, or who is replacing him as acting CEO of the SABC.

Nomsa Philiso, general manager at sales operations at the SABC, is taking over in the position of group executive of commercial enterprises.

Anton Heunis briefly stepped down in November as acting SABC CEO due to illness, and was temporarily replaced by the SABC's famously matricless chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng who duties were delegated to.

Health reasons prompted Anton Heunis to opt for early retirement.

In an internal memo to SABC staff obtained by TV with Thinus, the broadcaster told SABC personnel that Anton Heunis "is being succeeded by Nomsa Philiso, who was appointed as general manager: sales operations in 2011, and has frequently acted as group executive: commercial enterprises".

"Anton Heunis will stay on at the SABC in the role of Commercial Advisor, both in the context of commercial enterprises and for other SABC commercial ventures. This will ensure seamless continuity for SABC advertising sales and other commercial activities."

"For Group Sales the planned transition will enable 'business as usual', irrespective of the inevitable challenges and successes that will mark the coming months of the SABC 2015/2016 financial year," says the SABC's internal memo.

At yet another hastily convened press conference at the SABC's Auckland Park headquarters on Wednesday 1 April, the SABC announced that Anton Heunis is leaving, although he will do a handover to Nomsa Philiso who is replacing him as group executive for commercial enterprises at the SABC.

A lot of the media thought the SABC's notification of a press conference was an April Fool's joke but the public broadcaster told the media it's not the case.

At the SABC's press conference Hlaudi Motsoeneng mentioned race, remarking that, "Anton was the only white person here, but when I see him, I don't see a white person and when he sees me, he doesn't see a black person".

Hlaudi Motsoeneng told the press that the SABC will produce "a better individual".

"Even as we are losing a good individual, we will produce a better individual in the new appointment," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.