Apparently drunk, racist and unruly SABC brand manager Nobuntu Mkhize and self-proclaimed 'ANC bitch' cuffed, arrested and banned after disrupting Flysafair flight

by Thinus Ferreira

An apparently drunk, racist and unruly SABC staffer - the SABC brand manager Nobuntu Mkhize - who referred to herself as an "ANC bitch" was handcuffed, arrested and banned from Flysafair after disrupting a flight from Durban to Cape Town of the South African airline and causing midflight chaos.

In multiple videos taken by several different passengers and shared on various social media, the seemingly drunk Nobuntu Mkhize can be seen being aggressive, racist, physically touching and fighting with flight attendants and even throwing other passengers with a drink after Flysafair decided not to give her liquor.

Nobuntu Mkhize started screaming "you don't know who my father is" as if her father entitles her to different treatment and rules in South Africa. 

The woman also screamed that her story will be on SABC News.

She also said "I'm an ANC bitch".

The woman is also seen saying to someone "You're a coloured from Mitchells Plain - all these gold rings but no degree. Right now when we land, I'm going to take an Uber home.You don't even have a driver's licence. You don't even have a car."

The woman was eventually cuffed onboard and Flysafair spokesperson Kirby Gordon says the apparently drunk woman was arrested when the Flysafair plane landed in Cape Town on 26 December. She appeared in court.

Flysafair has also banned the woman from ever flying with the airline again.

The South African Police Service says more charges will be added over Nobuntu Mkhize's conduct like crime injuria as well as assault.

According to the police "During police intervention, the passenger continued to display riotous behaviour by insulting SAPS members and threatened to sue them."

Nobuntu Mkhize was charged in terms of the Civil Aviation Act No. 13 of 2009 for disruptive and riotous behaviour on board aircraft.

Flysafair says "We condemn any behaviour of this nature. Flight attendants have a primary duty as safety officers and interfering with their duties is a criminal offence. This passenger will be placed on our no-fly list and will not be welcome on future FlySafair flights. After the police get involved in matters like this, they manage the situation and we don't get insight into what transpires."

The SABC in response to a media query from TVwithThinus on Saturday said "The SABC has noted with concern, audio-visual material circulating on various social media platforms featuring a staff member travelling on a South African airline".

"The SABC regrets this incident, and always encourages staff members to uphold the SABC values of respect and integrity in all their interactions."

"In the video clip, this staff member mentions the SABC and states that this incident will be broadcast on SABC News. We would like to reiterate that SABC News is guided by the Editorial Code and maintains its editorial independence, and the decisions pertaining to all news items are made in the Newsroom and not influenced by non-editorial staff members."

The SABC will use the relevant channels in line with its internal procedures to engage the staff member."

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri in a statement says the ANC political party has taken note of the woman's behaviour and utterances "with disgust and disdain".

"The ANC categorically distances itself from such behaviour, which is contrary to the values and principles of our movement.

"Regardless of whether this individual is a member of the ANC, we unequivocally state that no person has the right to behave in such an unacceptable manner, and certainly not while misusing the good name of the ANC."

"If it confirmed that she is a member, her conduct is inexcusable and deeply embarrassing. The ANC will not allow its name to be dragged through the mud by individuals who fail to uphold the dignity and decorum expected of all South Africans, let alone members of our organisation."

The Patriotic Alliance (PA) political party in a statement says "Racism, irrespective of its source, has no place in South Africa. As a nation that has endured the scars of racial injustice, we must remain vigilant in rejecting all forms of discrimination".

"No individual, regardless of their position or background, is above the law. We urge the SABC to take firm and decisive action to address this incident. This case serves as a reminder that public figures carry a responsibility to act with integrity and respect."

"The Patriotic Alliance calls on all South Africans to reject racism and work together to build a nation rooted in unity, equality, and mutual respect."

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) says The incident aboard the aircraft was unfortunate and distasteful as it sought to undermine the safety of passengers and crew."

According to the SACAA, in terms of section 135 of the Civil Aviation Act, unruly behaviour is a punishable offence that can lead to an imprisonment sentence of up to six months. 

Disobeying and interfering with orders from the cabin crew violates civil aviation laws and carries a fine and jail sentence.

UPDATE Monday 30 December 2024 18:00: Flight attendant Emmeridge September has filed charges of assault and crime injuria against unruly SABC brand manager Nobuntu Mhkize.

SABC News journalists in the Free State receive death threats for allegedly costing the ANC political party votes and municipalities in the province.

by Thinus Ferreira

SABC News journalists in the Free State are receiving death threats and are accused of being responsible for the ANC political party losing votes and control of municipalities in the province, the SABC says.

A case of assault by threats have been opened with the South African police and the South African public broadcaster is also increasing security.

The SABC's journalists who are part of the current affairs team at Lesedi FM in Bloemfontein - senior producer Dimakatso Motsoeneng and presenters Palesa Chubisi and Lahliwe Matsoso - are being threatened that they will be killed.

They are being accused of causing the ANC political party to lose control of the Metsimaholo and Maluti-A-Phofung municipalities in the recent municipal elections that took place in November.

Naka Moloi, Lesedi FM current affairs executive producer, told SABC News that "We are very concerned about the safety and security of our colleagues following the threats".

The fact of the matter is we as journalists. We were doing our job during the election coverage. We invited different political parties from different municipalities in the country. We did our homework, we did research. Our only sin was to probe issues and to ask tough questions."

Dimakatso Motsoeneng told SABC News that "It's not nice because we are mothers, we have families, we have people that are looking after us. If people come to you and make such statements, it simply means you don't know where to go. I hope police will do whatever they can do to bring the perpetrators to book."

eNCA meets with ANC political party after Jessie Duarte's outburst at reporter Samkele Maseko; says it will 'continue to ask tough and interrogative questions of all political parties' and refuses to 'put up with verbal abuse or bullying from politicians'.

Senior executives of the eNCA (DStv 403) TV news channel met with representatives of the ANC political party in South Africa today, with eNCA that says the news media outlet will "continue to ask tough and interrogative questions of all political parties in this election period" and that eNCA won't "put up with verbal abuse or bullying from any politician".

The meeting comes after Jessie Duarte, the deputy secretary-general of the ANC, on Tuesday unleashed a verbal assault on the eNCA political reporter Samkele Maseko at a press briefing, that instantly made headlines for her ugly rant at eNCA after telling SABC News (DStv 404) to switch their camera off and which they refused to do.

Jessie Duarte in her tirade criticised Samkele Maseko for trying to "defend freedom of speech you've never fought for".

"Mr Samkele, you have a habit of intimidating everybody, you have a habit of making people feel that you are the lord of the media, you are one journalist, you work for one eNCA and you think all of us must shiver and shake," said a finger-waving Jessie Duarte.

"You call me a bully but you are the worst bully I've ever come across. I've never met anyone as arrogantly disposed as you are and you want to defend freedom of speech you've never fought for."

"And you don't defend freedom of speech because your particular TV station has decided the direction it will go on as it did in 2016 you followed the DA slogan of 'vote for change'."

"So what do you want us to do? To bow and scrape every time you walk into a room and call you my lord, the lord of the media? You are just a journalist just as I am just a citizen, nothing more, nothing less. Yes, this is personal," said Jessie Duarte.

In today's meeting between eNCA and the ANC, eNCA told the political party that the eMedia Investments TV news channel "would not put up with verbal abuse or bullying from any politician".

eNCA says it reminded the ANC of the "rules of engagement" between the media and political parties as prescribed by the Electoral Code of Conduct "which allows for reporters to question politicians on any issues without fear of intimidation"

Jeremy Maggs, eNCA editor-in-chief, in a press statement late on Wednesday said that "After a frank and robust discussion, the channel welcomes the ANC's commitment to media freedom and it agreeing to move on from the incident".

"We also appreciate the ANC's concern that journalists should be allowed to operate unhindered and without fear in the field as well as the party's acknowledgement that it is the undisputed right of the media to ask tough questions".

Jeremy Maggs says "clarification was also given to the ANC that there was no later editing of the live 8-minute interview to show an anti-ANC bias".

"The ANC was told claims by Jessie Duarte that the channel's 2016 election payoff-line urging political change was incorrect. The line was 'Your Independent Election Channel'."

South African National Editors' Forum warns new ANC publicist Pule Mabe to stop threatening SABC News journalists from covering the #ZumaMustGo campaign: 'the SABC must be allowed to exercise its editorial independence to cover the stories it deems fit'.

The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) on Monday warned the ANC's incompetent looking new publicist Pule Mabe to stop threatening the SABC and SABC News reporters from how the SABC, SABC News and the public broadcaster's journalists should or shouldn't be reporting on the #ZumaMustGo campaign against South African president Jacob Zuma.

Sanef told Pule Mabe to stop "infringing on the SABC's right to cover stories it deems important".

Sam Mkokeli, Sanef media freedom sub-committee chairperson, says Pule Mabe has been "critical of the SABC coverage of a dissident group claiming to be ANC and SA Communist Party (SACP) members, calling themselves the #ZumaMustGo campaign".

"Pule Mabe has strongly taken issue with the SABC covering the press conference. He has argued that the people covered have no mandate to talk and are not in formal ANC structures," said Sam Mkokeli.

"Sanef believes that the SABC must be allowed to exercise its editorial independence to cover the stories it deems fit, including of dissident ANC and SACP members."

"The ANC has the right to contest the coverage of the SABC, but it should never infringe on the SABC’s right to cover the stories it deems important. Also, it should never intimidate or threaten SABC journalists."

Sanef says the role of the SABC as South Africa’s public broadcaster "is critical, particularly during these turbulent and uncertain political times".

"Frank, robust relations between the ruling party and the SABC are essential. However, what must be jealously guarded is the SABC’s right to choose the stories it wishes to broadcast and its right to report without fear or favour."

ANC political party's chief whip Jackson Mthembu calls for a parliamentary investigation into MultiChoice over dubious ANN7 and SABC dealings: 'If we want to call that State Capture, I have no problem'.

Dr Jack & Curtis cartoon on Radio 702's EyewitnessNews (EWN) 


Jackson Mthembu, the ANC political party's chief whip on Tuesday called for an urgent parliamentary investigation into media conglom Naspers and its pay-TV unit MultiChoice amidst a growing scandal of allegations regarding improper corporate influence by the pay-TV company on South Africa's digital TV process.

Naspers and MultiChoice are increasingly mired in a barrage of damaging news headlines and revelations regarding MultiChoice's alleged undue corporate influence on the controversial Gupta family's ANN7 (DStv 405) channel and the SABC to allegedly help influence the South African government's policy on digital TV in MultiChoice's favour.

Jackson Mthembu, the ANC communications committee chairperson, addressed journalist at the ANC's Luthuli House headquarters on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the political party’s 54th national elective conference.

"The matter should be investigated and all those who might have done things not in accordance with our stated objectives must be called to account after a proper investigation," Jackson Mthembu said.

"Now if we want to call that state capture, I have no problem."

"If you want to benefit and you then want to influence government policy towards your benefit as a private citizen or corporate citizen, indeed you might be trying to capture the state for your benefit," Jackson Mthembu said.

At issue is whether the media conglom's lucrative pay-TV unit is or was involved in undue pressure to get the controversial Gupta family through their ANN7 channel, and the SABC, to exercise pressure in return for getting their TV news channels carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

Explosive, leaked meeting transcripts between MultiChoice and the South African public broadcaster the SABC, as well as #GuptaLeaks contracts between MultiChoice and the controversial ANN7 D(Stv 405) channel showing massive payments from DStv to the Guptas, have raised multiple serious questions over corporate impropriety.

MultiChoice told the SABC it would pay the broadcaster R100 million for the SABC News channel but but only on the strict must-have contract clause condition that the SABC must support MultiChoice's stance on conditional access (CA) for digital television.

MultiChoice also dramatically upped its payments from R50 million per year to R100 million per year and then R141 million per year, as well as a questionable, additional R25 million payment to the Guptas for the low-rated, bad quality, mistake-filled and often criticised ANN7.

MultiChoice is paying ANN7 more despite its barely there low ratings than eNCA (DStv 403) that has more than 50% of the overall TV news audience share.

It's all created the perception that MultiChoice has paid kickbacks to both the SABC and ANN7 to use its influence to get set-top box (STB) encryption dropped from government-subsidised STBs in the switch to digital terrestrial television (DTT).

MultiChoice and Naspers that have denied the kickbacks allegations and have been very slow to respond to the growing avalanche of criticism and calls for parent company Naspers and its chairperson Koos Bekker and CEO Bob van Dijk - not MultiChoice - to launch an independent investigation into the shocking allegations.

On Tuesday Naspers shares tumbled 4% on news that the United States law firm, Pomerantz - specialising in class action securities law suits - has started its own investigation into possible Naspers securities fraud and other unlawful business practices.

ANC slams 'divisive, devoid of truth' ANN7 reporting on DStv for 'sowing division'; says self-serving interests of ANN7 won't weaken the political party.

South Africa's ANC political party on Wednesday slammed the ANN7 (DStv 405) TV news channel for what it called "divisive" coverage, adding its voice to thousands of South Africans unhappy with the perceived slanted news coverage of the Gupta-news TV channel carried on MultiChoice's satellite pay-TV platform.

The ANC, in a strongly-worded statement, said ANN7 is sowing division.

It comes after ANN7 reported that the ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, secretary general Gwede Mantashe and treasurer general Zweli Mkhize allegedly pushed president Jacob Zuma to attend the Cosatu May Day rally in Bloemfontein where the president was publicly boo-ed and humiliatingly left.

Blasting ANN7 in a scathing statement - the ANC's first public and official criticism of ANN7 since the channel launched on DStv - the ANC said "such reportage is habitual and typical of ANN7, devoid of truth, divisive and designed to create an illusion of some 'ANC insider' status for the channel".

"Members of the media have a responsibility to report the news accurately, factually and objectively," says the ANC.

"ANN7, however, seems determined to manufacture false consensus, sharpening contradictions and deepening fissures in the ANC."

"The station effectively acts as a mouthpiece of the factional divisions that plague the ANC, consistently showing itself as being intent on driving wedges within the organisation and pitting comrade against comrade."

"We will not be distracted in this quest by narrow, self-serving interests whose motivations can only serve to further weaken the ANC."

A public petition calling for MultiChoice to remove ANN7 because DStv subscribers don't want to be forced to pay for it has now reached over 12 000 signatures and comments.

ANC announces that Humphrey Maxegwana is taking over from Joyce Moloi-Moropa as chairperson of parliament's portfolio committee on communications.

Humphrey Maxegwana is replacing and taking over from Joyce Moloi-Moropa as the chairperson of parliament's portfolio committee on communications.

Parliament's portfolio committee, comprising members of parliament (MP's) from the various political parties in South Africa, are tasked with a governmental oversight role over parastatal and state entities ranging from the broadcasting regulator, Icasa, to the South African public broadcaster, the SABC.

The ANC political party announced that the communications committee will now be chaired by Humphrey Maxegwana, who takes over from Joyce Moloi-Moropa who decided to quit at the end of 2015 and resigned.

Humphrey Maxegwana's move is part of several portfolio committee chairperson changes in parliament that the ANC announced on Thursday.

ANC: 'The SABC and MultiChoice deal is not in the best interest of the people of South Africa', keeps SABC 'a junior broadcaster to pay TV'.

The ANC is upset with its minister of communications Faith Muthambi and will meet with her today as the ruling political party in South Africa is now hugely concerned about about the highly controversial channels deal signed between MultiChoice and the SABC, saying "the SABC and MultiChoice deal is not in the best interest of the people of South Africa".

The ANC says the controversial deal forces the SABC to remain "a junior broadcaster".

The ANC also wants answers from Faith Muthambi and is hugely concerned about the minister's abrupt policy about-turn of non-encryption for the SABC in the looming switch to digital terrestrial television (DTT) in the country, saying the bad decision by Faith Muthambi will force the SABC to remain "a junior broadcaster to pay television" in South Africa.

On Monday night Jackson Mthembu, ANC National executive committee member and spokesperson, appeared on Justice Malala's The Justice Factor on eNCA (DStv 403), saying the ANC wants answers from Faith Muthambi on the controversial deal between MultiChoice and the SABC.

In the deal worth hundreds of millions of rand, MultiChoice pays the SABC to provide the SABC News (DStv 404) channel, now running just in English on DStv and no longer including other indigenous South African languages, as well as exclusive access to the SABC's archives for the library rerun channel SABC Encore (DStv 156) with old SABC shows.

The controversial MultiChoice and SABC deal is currently before the Competition Commission's tribunal, in a case brought by the public pressure group SOS Coalition, Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) and the media group Caxton arguing that the mega-millions deal between the public broadcaster and the pay-TV behemoth constitutes a merger.

"Why did the SABC agree on non-encryption in set-top boxes (STBs) for digital terrestrial television (DTT) with MultiChoice?" asked Jackson Mthembu on The Justice Factor.

"There's this agreement that is sitting between MultiChoice and the SABC. That agreement I can tell you is not in the best interest of the SABC itself."

"Because then the SABC will not have premium content, will not be able to compete at the same level with MultiChoice. Therefore the SABC will be a junior broadcaster to pay television. And I think that's not in the best interest of the people of South Africa. We don't," said Jackson Mthembu.

Although the embattled Faith Muthambi denied in a hastily released statement last week that it was discussed, Jackson Mthembu reiterated Monday night on eNCA that encryption of set-top boxes (STBs) was discussed and "extensively" at the recent ANC's NGC as well as the issue of digital TV migration.

"Definitely. It was discussed extensively," said Jackson Mthembu. He repeated that "equally the difficulties and challenges that the SABC is faced with" was also discussed.

Jackson Mthembu said earlier that the ANC had not been consulted by Faith Muthambi on the non-encryption aspect of the digital migration policy.

"If you don't have the instruments to assist you to protect those [content] rights, you won't get those broadcasting rights. You won't get wonderful films from Hollywood, you won't get wonderful rights to air sports. Therefore you will be a junior broadcaster to those that are able to protect their content," said Jackson Mthembu on Monday night.

"The government has been pursuing encryption [for free-to-air digital television signals] for some time, including the 2013 policy that government itself took," said Jackson Mthembu.

"After elaborate consultation with the industry where MultiChoice, e.tv and the SABC were consulted, those consultations concluded with a policy that said as government, on all those set-top boxes that we are going to subsidise, they will be encrypted. No question about it."

Also on Monday night Marian Shinn, the Democratic Alliance (DA) member of parliament tasked with telecommunications, appeared on Insig on kykNET (DStv 144) to discuss the same topic of the beleaguered Faith Muthambi and the ongoing quagmire of the South African government's acute and embarrassing failure with digital TV migration, calling it "a cesspit of intrigue and incompetence".

Today's interesting TV stories to read from TV with Thinus - 14 October 2015

■ New show Quantico on Vuzu AMP (DStv 114) gets a full season order.
There will now be 19 episodes in the first season of the new Priyanka Chopra drama and it could even be increased further to 22 to get to a traditional episode number for a season.

■ Dominion on M-Net Edge (DStv 102) cancelled.
Defiance's cancellation is likely next. Viewership dropped by almost half (47%) for the show that was filmed in South Africa by Film Afrika.

■ Beauty and the Beast on M-Net (DStv 101) cancelled.
Upcoming 4th season will be its last. It's never been much of a ratings performer.

■ The ANC has lost faith in Faith Muthambi.
The minister of communications further derailed the mess that was and is supposed to be digital terrestrial television (DTT). The ANC shows "the most public anger expressed at any serving minister since 1994".

■ You can now add ShowMax to your Mweb subscription
The video-on-demand (VOD) service of Naspers is getting bundled with its internet service provider service.

■ Trevor Noah of The Daily Show once again accused of stealing a joke.
The Comedy Central (DStv 122) star apparently again stole an exact replica of a decades-old joke of Dave Chapelle.

■ eNCA (DStv 403) anchor Joanne Joseph interview.
She talks to The Media about her new book, her short temper, human stories and shares advice for female journalists.

■ How the public broadcasting television system in the United Kingdom is under threat like never before.

■ The new 2 minute tralailer for upcoming fantasy series, The Shanarra Chronicles.
No response on a media enquiry from Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) on whether the new series it will be on MTV on MultiChoice's DStv from 2016 or on an M-Net channel like what happened with Teen Wolf and Vuzu AMP.

■ Why do we say someone is "on" TV, but "in" a movie?
The lexicon explained: TV is this ongoing thing, while a movie is a contained thing.

■ Russia Today (RT) is getting its budget slashed as Russia's economy falters.
The Russian TV news channel seen on MultiChoice's DStv (DStv 407) has gone into propaganda drive again over Russia's bombing of Syria. The channel's budget is being cut by 9% amid the faltering Russian economy.
- RT actually pays TV platforms like DStv to carry the news channel instead of being paid carriage fees as this Foxtel story from earlier in the year in Australia reveals.

ANC seems done with incompetent minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, over 'unfortunate failure' with digital TV migration, 'terrible instability' at SABC.

The ANC political party seems done with South Africa's stray and inept minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, who keeps embarrassing the party and who has done little to help and instead deepened the morass of South Africa's botched migration to digital terrestrial television (DTT) and exacerbated the problems at the crises-riddled SABC.

At the ANC's National General Council NGC) decisions were taken regarding both South Africa's digital television migration which is years behind schedule and to relook the decision regarding set-top boxes and encryption in the DTT process completely mired in chaos - as well as a renewed effort to try and stabilise the destruction of the public broadcaster.

The ANC is furious with Faith Muthambi over her digital TV migration failure and over the ongoing barrage of problems and unabated bad publicity created by the SABC's controversial and famously matricless boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng following her push to get him permanently appointed as chief operating officer at the embattled South African public broadcaster.

After the ANC's NGC the wayward Faith Muthambi issued a statement saying that South Africa's digital terrestrial television migration policy was "not up for reversal" and said the ANC NGC lied since it wasn't discussed at the NGC.

The ANC is now slapping Faith Muthambi down in a strongly-worded statement, with Luthuli House saying Faith Muthambi has "opted again to speak on ANC decisions unmandated" and will be talking to her over her "unfortunate communication".

"We want to place on record that the issues of digital migration and the SABC were discussed extensively by the commission which resulted in the decisions that were taken," says ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa.

The ANC says Faith Muthambi "unfortunately accused the chairperson of the subcommittee of being a liar."

The ANC is angry at Faith Muthambi over South Africa's "unfortunate failure" to move from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT) and missing the international June 2015 deadline after years of procrastination and failings, as well as the "terrible instability" at the SABC.

Clueless Faith Muthambi contradicts ANC, says there's no crisis at the SABC; while ANC's latest policy document slams SABC over 'series of crises'.

The situation turned awkward for South Africa's clueless minister of communications Faith Muthambi who told parliament that there's "no crisis at the SABC" - although the ruling ANC political party says there's been "a series of crisis" at the beleaguered SABC.

On Wednesday, the embarrassed Faith Muthambi squirmed after she denied in parliament that the SABC was in crisis - only to be told that the ANC's new policy documents state that the SABC, riddled in crises, reflects a lack of leadership, and that those responsible for it are not being held to account.

"The SABC is not in crisis, you know it very well, it's not at all," Faith Muthambi told parliament on Wednesday. "I can assure you, SABC is on the right course, you know that, you know it very well that it's on the right course and it's delivering its public service mandate as expected."

Faith Muthambi appeared clueless and in denial about the state of the SABC according to the ANC - and contradicted her own political party as minister of communications.

The ANC's National General Council (NGC) latest discussion document on the SABC explicitly states: "The series of crises [plural] at the SABC reflect a lack of leadership, lack of accountability and poor management."

"In confronting the crises more emphasis has been placed on reporting process without a corresponding attention to holding those responsible to account for the financial and organisational maladministration that has brought the public broadcasting institution into crisis".

"The ABC says the SABC is in crisis as a result of leadership failure, while Faith Muthambi says there is no crisis," says Gavin Davis, the Democratic Alliance (DA) political party's member of parliament and a member of parliament's portfolio committee on communications.

"It is quite clear that many in the ANC are deeply embarrassed about the state of the SABC, not to mention Hlaudi Motsoeneng's [SABC chief operating officer] uncanny ability to bring the SABC into disrepute whenever he opens his mouth," says Gavin Davis.

"Faith Muthambi, on the other hand, is quite happy to let Hlaudi Motsoeneng continue wrecking our public broadcaster," says Gavin Davis.

Appointment of Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe as SABC chairperson condemned by South African political parties, IFP, DA and COPE.

The political appointment of Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe as new permanent SABC chairperson by president Jacob Zuma on Friday has been swiftly condemned by South African opposition parties like the IFP and the Democratic Alliance (DA), saying Maguvhe is being rewarded for getting rid of independently-minded SABC board members and protecting the SABC's controversial and famously matricless chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

On Friday president Jacob Zuma announced that Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe, who happens to be blind and who had been the acting SABC chairperson, has been appointed to the position permanently and that SABC board member Leah Khumalo has been appointed as new deputy SABC chairperson.

Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe took over as acting SABC chairperson at the beginning of 2015 after the scandalous exit of the disgraced and shamed Ellen Tshabalala who left in December 2014 after she was exposed for lying about tertiary qualifications she didn't have.

Prof. Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe then presided over the purging of the SABC board members Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi, leaving the unstable and gutted SABC board without a quorum.

"Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe proved his political usefulness further this year when, as acting chairperson of the SABC board, he illegally removed Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi," says the DA member of parliament and member of the portfolio committee on communications, Gavin Davis.

"It has since been confirmed by parliament's legal advisors that Maghuve's decision to remove these SABC board members was unlawful."

"He is now being rewarded for getting rid of excellent and independently-minded SABC board members and protecting Hlaudi Motsoeneng when he should have been fired."

"Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe's appointment is bad news for all South Africans who want the SABC to be the independent public broadcaster envisaged in our Constitution," says Gavin Davis.

The IFP said it rejected the political appointment of Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe and that the SABC and the SABC board will only become credible and effective when the struggling public broadcaster is separated from politics.

"For as long as it is treated as a cadre-deployment division of the ANC, it will not be able to fully and independently executive its mandate in the public interest," says the IFP member of parliament Liezl van der Merwe.

The IFP called Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe and Leah Khumalo "loyalists" of the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi and of Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

The IFP says it rejects Prof Obert Mbulaheni Maguvhe appointment as new permanent SABC chairperson "because he must still be held to account for the unlawful and illegal removal of three independent-minded board members - Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi earlier this year."

The Congress of People (COPE called Prof Pbert Mbulaheni and Leah Khumalo "praise singers" and said "Luthuli House will in effect control the SABC," in a statement.

"The SABC, like the ruling party in parliament, will continue with whitewashing misdemeanours and continue to regard all us fools."

BREAKING. High Court orders the SABC to give live coverage on SABC2 of the Democratic Alliance political party's federal congress this weekend.

The South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has ordered the SABC, which initially refused, to provide live coverage on SABC2 of the Democratic Alliance's (DA) federal congress starting today and taking place in Port Elizabeth this weekend.

The SABC only wanted to give limited coverage of the political party - South Africa's official opposition party - on the SABC's 24-hour TV news channel SABC News (DStv 404) on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

The SABC News TV channel has a very small audience compared to SABC2, which means that the SABC was denying public interest, although coverage like this is supposed to be given according to the public broadcaster's own editorial policy.

In 2012, a day before the African National Congress' (ANC) similar congress - that political party's last national elective conference in 2012 in Mangaung - the SABC gave that political party massive live TV coverage on SABC2 and featured coverage on extended Morning Live segments on SABC2.

The SABC wasn't prepared or willing to do the same for the Democratic Alliance party, although the SABC's editorial policy states that the SABC gives full or extended live television and radio coverage to "broadcasting events of national importance".

Earlier the SABC's head of news Jimi Matthews said he is not going to allow the Democratic Alliance to control the platform on which it is broadcast.

Instead of giving the Democratic Alliance live coverage on SABC2, the SABC and SABC2 wanted to stick to its "regular" schedule on Saturday of broadcasting repeats and the lowbrow Japanese game show Takeshi's Castle, and on Sunday more repeats and the American lifestyle show Iyanla Fix My Life.

SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the DA wants to "dictate to the SABC" what coverage the public broadcaster is supposed to get.

The SABC has been unable to explain how it's fair for the public broadcaster to show one political party's election congress live on the SABC, but not another political party.

While the DA will be electing a new leader at the DA's Congress to replace the outgoing Helen Zille, the SABC told the political party it won't be showing any of it on public television, although the SABC recently gave uninterrupted coverage for the ANC's birthday celebration on 8 January in Cape Town.

The ANC's spokesperson Jackson Mthembu slammed the SABC on Friday in several tweets, calling the SABC "stupid" and a "fool" and saying the SABC's "failure to cover the DA congress on the free-to-air channel is so unfortunate, stupid and has nothing to do with the ANC".

"The DA congress is in the public interest. They are the second biggest party in our country. It's only a fool that will not know that!"

"The more we ANC members are not open about SABC blunders‚ the more we are seen to be working with them," said Jackson Mthembu.

Terry Motau representing the SABC, told the High Court that the live coverage would have financial implications for the SABC, since TV commercials were sold in advance for the timeslots the SABC would be forced to cover the DA congress on SABC2.

"The SABC isn't the only medium where people can get the results," Terry Motau told the court.

Anthony Stein, for the Democratic Alliance, told the High Court that the SABC should long ago have made provision and plans for covering the political party's congress and that "alarm bells should have been ringing" at the SABC in advance if there had been a lack of proper planning and discussion for covering the news event of national importance.

"The SABC is funded by everybody in this country," said Anthony Stein.

Late on Friday Judge Zeenat Carelse in the South Gauteng High Court ruled against the SABC and ordered the public broadcaster to give live TV news coverage on SABC2. The SABC lost the case with costs.

"The SABC conceded before Judge Zeenat Carelse that it had no case, by agreeing to the order sought by the DA," the Democratic Alliance federal executive chairperson James Selfe said in a statement.

"The SABC must act with political impartiality and must not display bias in its live coverage decisions," said James Selfe.

"This is a victory for democracy. Only through live political coverage on free-to-air channels can voters in South Africa make informed political decisions. Live coverage eliminates the potential of editorial influence over political events," said James Selfe.

"The SABC's SABC News channel on DStv requires an expensive subscription, beyond the means of millions of South Africans," said James Selfe.

Live coverage of the Democratic Alliance's federal congress will start today on SABC2 at 10:30 for the opening ceremony. Live coverage on SABC2 will start on Sunday, 10 May, at 13:00 for the announcement of a new DA federal leader.

The media crisis management of the SABC was again basically non-existent during the latest tiff on Thursday and Friday as the SABC's image and reputation was again seriously being dented further.

On Friday and Saturday there was no formal statement from the SABC regarding the issue and the SABC's coverage plans, and on Saturday no notification from the SABC on coverage and no programming advisory from SABC2 on the schedule changes to inform viewers of how the programming line-ups will be changing and what would be showing when.

SABC refuses to give live coverage of the Democratic Alliance's federal congress taking place this weekend, says the DA.

The SABC which initially promised to give some live coverage of the Democratic Alliance's (DA) Federal Congress this weekend in Nelson Mandela Bay has gone back on its decision to give any live terrestrial TV coverage on the public broadcaster of the country's official opposition party.

A day before the African National Congress' (ANC) last national elective conference in 2012 in Mangaung, the SABC boldly announced splashy plans, detailing extensive coverage and live crossings of hours of the 4-day event as well as extended Morning Live segments on SABC2 – but has now apparently backtracked on an earlier commitment to do the same for the DA.

There will be coverage of the DA's congress on the SABC's 24-hour TV news channel, SABC News (DStv 404) on MultiChoice’s DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

While the DA will be electing a new leader at the DA's Congress to replace the outgoing Helen Zille, the SABC told the political party it won't be showing any of it on public television, although the SABC recently gave uninterrupted coverage for the ANC's birthday celebration on 8 January in Cape Town.

Ahead of the DA's Congress in Port Elizabeth from tomorrow, there's been no announcement from the SABC regarding any coverage – but the DA is now speaking out.

In a press statement, James Selfe, chairperson of the DA federal council is blasting the SABC, saying the political party learnt on Wednesday that the SABC would not be carrying any of the DA Congress happenings live on free-to-air television in South Africa.

"At this stage, the SABC is unwavering in their decision against agreements for live coverage," says James Selfe.

"It is manifestly in the public interest that a national elective congress of the official opposition in South Africa, representing 4 million votes, receives coverage on the national broadcaster. Both the public interest, and the SABC's own editorial policy, demand that this congress be broadcast to all South Africans, on the national broadcaster”.

The SABC's editorial policy states that the SABC gives full or extended live television and radio coverage to "broadcasting events of national importance".

According to James Selfe, the SABC first agreed to broadcast live for 2 hours on Saturday morning, covering the opening ceremony and the outgoing leader Helen Zille's speech, but that the public broadcaster decided to no longer honour that commitment.

James Selfe said he had a telephone conversation on Thursday afternoon with the SABC's head of news, Jimi Matthews but that "the SABC is unwavering in their decision against agreements for live coverage".

"I've spoken to Hlaudi Motsoeneng [the SABC's chief operating officer] and he said he would get back to me Friday," said James Selfe.

"Should the SABC not reconsider this about-turn on live coverage for this DA Federal Congress, the DA will take steps against the SABC which may include approaching the High Court to review their decision," said James Selfe.

BREAKING. ANC to intervene over SABC and Mfundi Vundla's shocking firing of the Generations cast; ministers to intervene over dismissal.

The ANC political party is going to intervene and get involved following the shocking wholesale firing of the Generations cast on SABC1 on Monday by the SABC and executive producer Mfundi Vundla from MMSV Productions.

The Generations cast was fired on Monday by the SABC and MMSV Productions following a second strike the united actors embarked on since last Monday.

The dismissal of the principal Generations cast has sent shockwaves through South Africa's television industry.

Generations ranks as the most watched TV show in South Africa with an average of 7.5 million viewers every weeknight, is the most watched soap, the most lucrative TV show of the SABC and commands a price of R200 000 per 30 second ad spot during its 20:00 primetime timeslot.

It was the Generations cast's second strike in 10 months at the SABC1 soap over exactly the same issues of wanting three year contracts from the SABC as it was promised in 2013, better paying contracts, as well as back payment for rebroadcasts and international sales of the show - all issues that the SABC promised to give attention but failed to do.

"The ANC has requested the intervention of the ministers of communications and labour in the dispute," says ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa in a statement.

"Minister of communications Faith Muthambi will be meeting with the SABC to understand the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of these workers," says the ANC in the statement.

""We thus call for a speedy and amicable resolution of the current impasse between the two parties in the interest of fair labour practice based on mutual respect for each other's crafts and imperatives".

Universal condemnation grows over SABC appointment of matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng as ANC, SACP, FXI, Mwasa, join chorus of criticism.

There's universal, growing condemnation and outrage over the SABC's shocking, ridiculous and unexpected permanent appointment of the famously matricless and highly controversial Hlaudi Motsoeneng as the beleaguered SABC's chief operating officer (COO).

The ANC political party, SACP political party, the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), Mwasa trade union, the former SABC CEO Dali Mpofu and others have joined the growing chorus of concern and criticism levelled at the struggling SABC, the SABC board, and South Africa's new minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, .

The SABC board and Faith Muthambi are reponsible for pushing through the disgraceful appointment and all but shattering whatever was left of the SABC's credibility as a public broadcaster.

The SABC and the SABC board has so far failed to act on any of the recommendations of the Public Protector's damning report of Hlaudi Motsoeneng which was issued in February and which states that "Hlaudi Motsoeneng should never have been appointed at the SABC".

The SABC also never advertised the position of COO.


ANC
"When such an appointment is made, given all the challenges that were there at the SABC before, at least we should be taken into confidence either by the SABC board or deployees of the ANC through the minister, so that we can have a better understanding," says Zizi Kodwa, ANC national spokesperson.


SACP
The SACP wants Faith Muthambi to review the position and to readvertise the positions of SABC CEO and CFO, and to also advertise the COO position. "We want to see this position readvertised properly," says Solly Maphaila, secretary general of the SACP.

"If Hlaudi Motsoeneng is competent enough, is he can prove he has been doing well, or others can prove that they can do better, on that basis a competent panel can then look into that and take a decision".


The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI)
"The Freedom of Expression Institute is disappointed at the permanent appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng as COO of the SABC. The appointment represents a further divergence of the public broadcaster from any hopes of restoring confidence in the fulfilment of its mandate under the current leadership," says FXI executive director Phenyo Dean Butale. 

"The appointment by Faith Muthambi has undermined the due process to be exercised by the SABC board in acting in the recommendations of the Public Protector's report".

"The appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng in such a matter shows the complete disregard for prescribed procedure in the recruitment of senior management within the organisation. Faith Muthambi has justified the appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng on the basis that he has been doing a good job. Evidence to support this claim is however not apparent".

"However, what is without doubt is that the SABC remains in crisis of management, strategy and implementation. Evidence in this regard is overwhelming with the SABC over the past 3 years receiving qualified audits reports".


Media Workers Association of South Africa (Mwasa)
"The shenanigans surrounding the hustled appointment of the controversial COO of the SABC represent a well-rehearsed repeat episode," says Tuwani Gumani, Mwasa secretary general.

"It has been a case of crisis management that includes massive golden handshakes and political back-patting. We have seen it all before but there seems to be no end to it".

"The latest installment involving Faith Muthambi, the SABC board, the parliamentary portfolio committee on communications, the office of the Public Protector and others, trumps all previous displays of ineptitude, incapacity,inefficiency, corruption and abuse of privilege to serve".

"It cannot be acceptable that individuals, even mavericks and populists, are persistently touted as messianic appointees that will 'turn the SABC around' ".

"The SABC is a public utility that must remain accessible to all citizens and it should provide ample space for all South Africans to find expression of their expectations, aspirations and experiences across its platforms and programmes".

"Meeting the least criteria and mediocre performance amounts to an insult to the South African public that deserves far more than brazen displays of greed, self-interest and corruption that have so far been the hallmarks of the SABC's chequered history".


Cosatu
"The  Congress of South African Trade Unions condemns the decisions of the SABC board and the minister of communications and urges the minister and the SABC board to comply with the call to review their decision endorsing the appointment".



Support Public Broadcasting Coalition (SOS Coalition)
"Where was the fair, transparent and public appointment process we were promised by the ministry?" asks the SOS Coalition.

"The post was not advertised and, as such, no thorough recruitment process was followed". The SOS Coalition says Hlaudi Motsoeneng's permanent COO appointment will "further undermine the stability and credibility of the SABC".


Public Protector Thuli Madonsela
Thuli Madonsela told eNCA (DStv 403) that Hlaudi Motsoeneng "lied to the SABC about having a matric certificate. He admitted to me, and I have a recorded interview with him".

"Secondly the position was initially advertised as a position requiring certain qualifications. Therefore Hlaudi Motsoeneng didn't have those qualifications. One of them was a tertiary degree which he didn't have".

"The SABC board chairperson Ellen Zandile Tshabalala has written to me several times requesting extra time to submit and implementation plan".

"She was supposed to do that in 30 days. Five months down the line I'm still waiting for just a simple plan that indicated what Ellen Zandile Tshabalala is going to do. That obviously would have included her indicating to me how and when they were going to appoint the SABC's new COO".


Broadcasting, Electronic Media and Allied Workers Union (Bemawu)
Bemawu says it is "shocked" by the unprocedural appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

Bemawu says it demands "that the appointment be reversed and due process be followed, failing which we will legally challenge the recruitment process".


Dali Mpofu, former SABC CEO
Dali Mpofu, a former SABC CEO told Alec Hogg on CNBC Africa (DStv 410) that "All I can say is that it's pathetic when we get to a situation where skills are not valued, where the message that we send to young people is that you don't have to work hard to get those degrees or to acquire those skills - all you need is to be connected".

"I always say that even if you are going to employ people who agree with you politically, first and foremost, they must have the skills to do what they have to do".

"It discredits the whole notion of transformation if you're literally going to grab some guy from the taxi rank".

"The job of SABC COO is a very complex job. The job of the COO at the SABC is even more complex than the CEO's job, so I don't understand how anyone who allegedly does not have matric can even do it at all".


DA
The Democratic Alliance (DA) political party in a statement calls Hlaudi Motsoeneng's appointment as SABC COO "a dark day for democracy".

"Hlaudi Motsoeneng has been given a renewed mandate to continue his reign of terror at the public broadcaster," says Gavin Davis, the DA shadow minister of communications.

"We can expect more surveillance and purging of SABC staff, more clampdowns on editorial independence and more 'happy news' that reflects positively on the governing party".

"Hlaudi Motsoeneng should have been suspended and disciplined following the Public Protector's report, not promoted. Hlaudi Motsoeneng has earned a reputation as a Goebbels-like figure at the centre of President Jacob Zuma's propaganda machine".


EFF
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) political party in a statement says it is "distraught by Hlaudi Motsoeneng's appointment.

"Hlaudi Motsoeneng does not deserve to be COO, because he is a liar and a conman," says EFF member of parliament Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.


Afriforum
The civil rights group Afriforum says in a statement the shocking appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng as SABC COO is "a further example of disrespect for the constitution and constitutional institutions that exist to protect the public against abuse of power and mismanagement".

As SABC News allow political party representatives - especially the ANC - to ramble on alone; what happened now to Hlaudi's edict?

SABC News (DStv 404), the SABC's 24-hour TV news channel turned into a shameless talk head parade of political party representatives - extremely biased towards and in favour of the ANC political party both in terms of exposure and time given - on Tuesday 6 May and Wednesday, 7 May, on election day in South Africa.

It raised the question: What happened to Hlaudi Motsoeneng, the SABC's famously matricless acting chief operating officer (COO), and his cenorship edict that political party representatives can't be interviewed on SABC Television and SABC Radio or take part in discussion programming without other political parties' viewpoint being present?

AS far back as 2012 Hlaudi Motsoeneng directly started interfering with editorial news decisions at SABC Radio and SABC Television News and ordered the abrupt canning of interviews and guests for shows on radio and television in 2012 and 2013, claiming that no interviews can take place with political representatives if its not - according to him - "balanced" enough.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng used it to blatantly censor - in allof the cases - and shut down interviews critical of the ruling government and critical of the ruling political party in South Africa which is the ANC.

In the run-up to South Africa's general election on 7 May and during the day, SABC News flooded the channel with people clearly affliliated with the ANC political party, rambling on in extremely long interviews.

No other political parties (not even combined) got the same amount of exposure or airtime, while SABC News journalists and reporters made a litany of embarrassing mistakes, made unsubstantiated, biased statements and comments, and with very little, if any exposure or airtime to the majority of the other 29 political parties contesting the election.

The SABC shockingly, blatantly, touted an uncritical ANC narrative, putting on air ANC representative after ANC representative on SABC News, interviewing IEC officials doing predictions favouring the ANC, and giving viewers shockingly muddled pseudo electorate and election science as reporters and anchors were treading water waiting for actual news.

Economics anchor Francis Herd who helped out with general and political coverage as anchor and reporter was the best on SABC News on Wednesday 7 May - level-headed, clear, honest, fair and informed.

SABC3 and SABC News prime time news anchor Peter Ndoro was the worst (Eben Jansen a close second), perhaps from having done the SABC2 breakfast show Morning Live for too long - falling back into a clearly comfortable pseudo infotainment mold - one where facts, relevance and accurate statements matter less than simply to keep talking and filling dead air with words and a constant voice tone of airline cabin attendant mock joviality.

The large contingent of uncensored, unmediated ANC talking head, rambling on in long interviews on SABC News could be due to editorial laziness and the mere availability and over-representation of one specific political party at Hall J at the National Elections Centre at the Pretoria Show grounds.

Who works harder to go shoot different ducks in other marshes when the dam right in front of you is filled with them? It did however highlight the shocking editorial double-standard of the SABC and SABC News.

Although the SABC's "Hlaudi policy" is dead wrong that one or two people can't be interviewed if there isn't representation from other viewpoints, it is interesting to note how blatantly the SABC and SABC flouted its own rule, again to the benefit of one political party, when it suddenly suited the SABC to do so.

Neither eNCA (DStv 403), nor ANN7 (DStv 405) dropped to the brazen level of blatant political pandering SABC News did the past two days in terms of who got exposure and airtime, and who didn't.

In the run up to South Africa's 2014 Elections and on Wednesday which was Election Day, the SABC failed viewers and failed South Africa as the independent, unbiased South African public broadcaster it is supposed to be.

BREAKING. eNCA reporter Nickolaus Bauer harassed by ANC; TV reporter has cellphone forcibly taken and images deleted.

Photo: Beeld

The eNCA (DStv 403) reporter Nickolaus Bauer was harassed today by the South African Police who forcibly took his cellphone and deleted images off of the TV journalist's cellphone at an ANC election rally in Duduza that the 24-hour TV news channel was covering.

Nickolaus Bauer was harassed by a South African Police member, dressed in plain clothes, as other journalists and cameramen looked on.

Nickolaus Bauer's phone was forcibly taken and photos he took deleted by the South African policeman who apparently works for the VIP division.

The police man didn't want Nickolaus Bauer to take and have photos of a Gauteng government vehicle used to transport ANC T-shirts for the election rally - a state vehicle which means it is an abuse of state resources to do this for a specific political party.

e.tv and eNCA didn't respond to a media enquiry made before close of day on Friday seeking comment,a response or a statement from the 24-hour TV news channel on Friday's incident.

ALSO READ: eNCA after its reporter Nickolaus Bauer is harassed by South African Police: "Outrageous bullying tactics unacceptable in South Africa".

BREAKING. SABC chairperson Ellen Tshabalala publicly asks that people vote for the ANC and makes political statements she is not supposed to do.

Over the long weekend Ellen Tshabalala, the SABC chairperson who is supposed to be apolitical publicly as the head of the SABC board and the South African public broadcaster, asked people to vote for the ANC and took a public party political stance by promoting a specific, and the ruling, political party.

On Friday Ellen Tshabalala publicly canvassed for votes for the ANC in KwaMashu, telling residents that "there are too many political parties", saying that multiple political parties registered for the May elections are "confusing" and telling residents that "the government knows where it is going".

Ellen Tshabalala as SABC chairperson told KwaMashu residents at the event to hand over houses, to vote for the ANC and not any of the opposition parties.

In 2012 SABC board member Cedric Gina appeared on SABC News television wearing an ANC shirt at a SABC press conference, showing how far the lines have blurred at the SABC between its role of being a public broadcaster, and having turned into a state broadcaster where SABC board members, and in turn executives, are appointed by the ruling political party.

SABC board members, SABC journalists and personnel - although they have personal views and hold party political preferences - are not supposed to speak out publicly or canvass for votes for any specific political party.

A month after the results of a scathing PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report into the shocking lack of skills and qualifications at the SABC, as well as a damning report from the Public Protector on abuse of power and maladministration at the SABC - which also implicated the famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng as acting chief operating officer (COO) - Ellen Tshabalala's SABC board has not placed him on suspension and has not made public any actions or direct interventions which have been taken following the reports.

On Monday morning the SABC didn't respond to a media enquiry asking if it is still SABC policy that members of the SABC board, SABC personnel and SABC executives be apolitical publicly about political party affiliations and not do public canvassing. The SABC was also asked if there is any comment or response on Ellen Tshabalala's public speaking in KwaMashu. So far there's been no response.

MultiChoice to help digitise the SABC's archives in the same way in which MultiChoice helped to digitise the ANC's archives.

You're reading it here first. 

MultiChoice will help to digitise the SABC's archive in the same way the satellite pay-TV platform has digitised the ANC's archives for that political party.

MultiChoice made the announcement at the launch event on Thursday afternoon of the SABC's second attempt at establishing a 24-hour TV news channel, the SABC News channel which went live at 18:00 on Thursday evening on MultiChoice's DStv channel 404.

The SABC's SABC News International TV news channel was launched in July 2007 by the then news boss Snuki Zikalala but quickly became an albatross for the struggling public broadcaster.

Amidst a huge cash drain of millions of rands the channel which was shown on DStv was closed down three years later at the end of March 2010 after the SABC came close to the brink of financial collapse in 2009.

The private pay-TV operator MultiChoice is now giving the SABC as a public broadcaster more than half a billion rand over the next few years to run the SABC News channel as part of a new contract - up from the R80 million MultiChoice would have given the SABC over three years as part of a previous, earlier deal to set up the news channel which was scuppered.

At the launch event on Thursday Imtiaz Patel, group CEO of MultiChoice South Africa, said that the pay-TV giant "will be further assisting the SABC in digitising some of their library material as we did the ANC archives, in this way continuing to assist in preserving our country's collective history."

About the SABC News channel deal worth hundreds of millions, Imtiaz Patel said "this deal further enhances an already strong relationship and cooperation with the SABC".