SuperSport to cooperate with the SA Human Rights Commission's inquiry into alleged racism at the sports broadcaster prompted by the Ashwin Willemse walk-off incident.

SuperSport will cooperate with the South African Human Right's Commission's (SAHRC) upcoming inquiry into alleged racism at the sports broadcaster.

The SAHRC will start an inquiry in February 2019 that is projected to last 5 months until June.

It's prompted by the hugely damaging and infamous Ashwin Willemse walk-out incident on live television on DStv in May 2018 that caused great public uproar when the former SuperSport commentator got up and left the SuperSport studio set after visibly getting upset with Nick Mallett and Naas Botha.

SuperSport and MultiChoice's internal investigation, an inquiry led by Advocate Vincent Maleka found no racism, but Ashwin Willemse wasn't interviewed and decided not to participate in the inquiry.

Ashwin Willemse also said through his legal representation that the incident was sparked by perceived racism.

Ashwin Willemse said he would pursue the matter through other avenues and Advocate Vincent Maleka also recommended that the case be referred to the South African Human Right's Commission.

While Nick Mallett and Naas Botha stayed on at SuperSport, the contract of Ashwin Willemse at SuperSport ran out and wasn't renewed.

"SuperSport has cooperated fully with the SA Human Rights Commission since the broadcaster referred the Ashwin Willemse matter to the Commission," says Joe Heshu, MultiChoice's corporate affairs spokesperson says in a statement.

"This followed the completion of an independent investigation instituted by SuperSport and conducted by Advocate Vincent Maleka SC into the circumstances surrounding the former presenter walking off the set of a live broadcast."

"Advocate Vincent Maleka SC found that the walk-off was not the result of racism. He recommended that the matter be referred to the Commission. SuperSport will participate fully in the enquiry to be conducted by the Commission and maintains its firm view that racism did not play a role in this matter."

Rugby commentator Ashwin Willemse out at SuperSport after contract not renewed.

Rugby commentator Ashwin Willemse is out at SuperSport and won't be seen on DStv again after his SuperSport contract wasn't renewed.

It's not clear whether SuperSport didn't offer him a contract extension, or whether he was offered one and refused.

On 19 May DStv subscribers watched transfixed at the live in-studio blow-out between Ashwin Willemse and Nick Mallett and Naas Botha, who walked off set after saying they had "undermined" and "patronised" him.

SuperSport and MultiChoice were engulfed in a firestorm of public opinion, with Naspers' pay-TV division that launched an internal inquiry.

SuperSport and MultiChoice said that the inquiry found no racism but it was one that Ashwin Willemse didn't participate in.

Ashwin Willemse said he didn't want to be a part of the inquiry, and through his lawyers said was a racist incident.

MultiChoice and SuperSport's inquiry did find tension on set in the past between Nick Mallett and Ashwin Willemse, with Nick Mallett who told SuperSport producers that he doesn't want to present with Ashwin Willemse.

Clinton van der Berg, SuperSport spokesperson told TVwithThinus on Thursday that "Ashwin Willemse’s contract with SuperSport has expired and he will not be back on air".

"We have not heard from the Equality Court. We are in communication with the South African Human Rights Commission. We referred advocate Maleka SC’s report to the Commission, in accordance with one of his recommendations following his independent review of the matter."

As more black presenters accuse SuperSport of racism, unequal pay, intimidation and victimisation, SuperSport says their concerns have been resolved.

Following the Ashwin Willemse on-air studio walkout that shocked DStv subscribers, more black presenters have come forward to accuse SuperSport of racism, victimisation, unequal pay and intimidation - issues that SuperSport claims have been resolved.

SuperSport anchors Owen Nkumane, Xola Ntshinga, Kaunda Ntunja and Gcobani Bobo sent a letter through MVMT Attorneys to SuperSport in May accusing SuperSport of discrimination after the Ashwin Willemse incident happened on 19 May.

The black SuperSport anchors accused SuperSport in the letter on 28 May of "victimisation, public humiliation, abusive language,intimidation and other inappropriate management", also saying that certain roles at SuperSport "are reserved for non-white pundits".

They also made claims about unequal pay, saying white contractors are paid more than black contractors.

SuperSport says it addressed the concerns.

"We received the attorney'sletter some time ago but agreed with the presenters to investigate the matter and resolve the issues between ourselves," says Gideon Khobane, SuperSport CEO in a statement SuperSport released on Monday evening.

"All of those commentators and presenters confirm that racism has not played any role in regard to the concerns raised and resolved."

SuperSport didn't want to specify how it resolved the claims of unequal pay, victimisation, public humiliation, abusive language, intimidation and inappropriate management.

Owen Nkumane says "we are happy with the way the whole process has been conducted by SuperSport. We have achieved our goals as a collective of a conducive working environment at SuperSport."

SuperSport pulls Ashwin Willemse, Nick Mallett and Naas Botha off the air in ongoing controversy, but says they're not suspended as SuperSport fails to make sufficient headway in its internal investigation.

In the ongoing controversy SuperSport has pulled commentators Ashwin Willemse, Naas Botha and Nick Mallett off air although saying none of them have been fired, with the pay-sportscaster saying its investigation started off good but failed to make sufficient headway.

In a shocking live on-air incident this past Saturday Saturday Ashwin Willemse walked off set in SuperSport's Randburg studios after a verbal altercation with Nick Mallett and Naas Botha that he said on-air he is glad the public get to see, and saying he won't be patronised anymore and won't "work with people that undermine other people".

On Monday Gideon Khobane, SuperSport CEO, still promised that Ashwin Willemse, Naas Botha and Nick Mallett will all appear, and together this Saturday on SuperSport as rugby analysts.

All three have now been dumped from television, although not suspended, and replaced by Victor Matfield, Breyton Paulse and Xola Ntshinga for Saturday.

With a massive and polarising response from South Africans over the incident, SuperSport and MultiChoice have continued to managed the fallout very badly, especially in terms of public relations and the press and damaging the SuperSport brand.

Politicians called for a boycott of DStv and SuperSport and even the minister of sports Tokozile Xasa swiftly calling for the suspension of Naas Botha and Nick Mallett over alleged racism.

After initially saying Ashwin Willemse, Naas Botha and Nick Mallett will all remain on-air, SuperSport is now saying they won't be, but also that they're not suspended.

They are just removed but will continue to be paid according to SuperSport, although presenters are usually only paid if they actually do work which is to appear on television.

"We have had discussions this week with all parties in an effort to resolve this matter amicably and expeditiously," says SuperSport in a statement, with the incident that will now be reviewed by an advocate.

"Despite good progress initially, the matter has unfortunately not been resolved. We have therefore decided to instruct an independent senior counsel, advocate Vincent Maleka, to chair a review of the incident which occurred and to make recommendations to our management."

SuperSport says that "pending the outcome of the review, the three presenters involved will not appear on-air. None of the presenters have been suspended and they will continue to be remunerated in terms of their contracts."

"We are committed to getting to the bottom of this serious issue," says SuperSport.

"Advocate Vincent Maleka has been asked to make findings and recommendations by Monday 11 June 2018."

BREAKING. Sports minister Tokozile Xasa calls on SuperSport to immediately suspend rugby commentators Nick Mallett and Naas Botha after Ashwin Willemse live TV studio walk out.

South Africa's minister of sport and recreation, Tokozile Xasa, in a statement is calling for the immediate suspension of SuperSport rugby commentators Nick Mallett and Naas Botha after the eye-popping walk off incident that saw commentator Ashwin Willemse leave the Randburg studio on live television on Saturday night.

Meanwhile the political party Icosa in the Western Cape on Sunday called on a boycott of MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service

Tokozile Xasa said "I call upon SuperSport to suspend the two panellists while they are busy with full investigation. The continued appearance of Nick Mallet and Naas Botha will be seen as an endorsement of their alleged racist behaviour".

SuperSport told TVwithThinus on Sunday in response to a media enquiry seeking comment on the minister's comments that "an investigation will take place. SuperSport cannot prejudice any possible findings with a speculative comment. SuperSport will release an updated statement on Monday".

SuperSport on Saturday night told TVwithThinus that it would be conducting an investigation and do interviews with everyone involved after an eye-popping live TV on-air incident on Saturday night that saw an upset commentator Ashwin Willemse walk off set after a verbal altercation in SuperSport's Randburg studio with commentators Nick Mallett and Naas Botha, while presenter Motshidisi Mohono kept the show going.

It's not clear yet what triggered Ashwin Willemse, but in a live SuperSport broadcast scene that quickly went viral on Saturday night after the victory of the Lions of 42-24 over the Brumbies at Ellis Park, the former Springbok wing was clearly upset at both of the two other seated commentators Nick Mallett and Naas Botha.

Tokozile Xasa in a statement says "This behaviour of entitlement by some white South Africans who continue to think that their whiteness represent better must come to an end, if it was not for a barbaric nonsensical apartheid system that privileged them we could not have implemented quota system to normalize an otherwise abnormal system".

"Ashwin Willemse is not just a former Springbok player but in 2003 he was named SA Rugby Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and the Player’s Player of the Year. Players like Ashwin Willemse, Bryan Habana and Siya Kolisi continue to make us proud as a nation and affirm that they are not token players or quota players."

"It is clear that Ashwin Willemse was referred as a quota player by his fellow panelists despite his many successes in the field of play, I call upon SuperSport to suspend the two panelists while they are busy with full investigation. The continued appearance of Nick Mallet and Naas Botha will be seen as an endorsement of their alleged racist behaviour," said Tokozile Xasa.

Meanwhile The Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa), a political party founded by Trueman Prince, in a statement issued by Icosa spokesperson Dawid Kamfer, says Icosa "call on all non-white South Africans to cancel their DStv subscription, till SuperSport remove the likes of Nick Mallet, Naas Botha, Toks Van Der Linde and Kobus Wiese".

"We also want the removal of all presenters who represent apartheid South Africa on the rugby field. No more historical references for statistical purposes of the era before unification".

Faiez Jacobs, provincial secretary of the ANC Western Cape in a statement said on Sunday that "it is disturbed by the incident at SuperSport studios yesterday" and that "we know Ashwin as a strong man who against all odds, pulled himself by the bootstraps out of poverty and out of a written fate for many of the young people who come from his neighborhoods".

"We believe that Ashwin's public walkout is a result of what many black people experience in offices and boardrooms across the country, where being black is a constant source of being undermined, doubted, spoken down upon and largely made to feel outside various social cliques and cores within the same working environment."

Upset commentator Ashwin Willemse walks off the SuperSport set after a live on-air verbal altercation with Nick Mallett and Naas Botha, saying he won't be patronised and work 'with people who undermine other people'.

@Ashwinwillemse leaves the @SuperSportTV set during a live broadcast, clearly upset. What did Naas Botha and Nick Mallett say to him? pic.twitter.com/YXFdAEwJSW

— Gasant Abarder 🇿🇦 (@GasantAbarder) May 19, 2018

SuperSport says it will be conducting an investigation and do interviews with everyone involved after an eye-popping live TV on-air incident on Saturday night that saw an upset commentator Ashwin Willemse walk off set after a verbal altercation in SuperSport's Randburg studio with commentators Nick Mallett and Naas Botha, while presenter Motshidisi Mohono kept the show going.

It's not clear yet what triggered Ashwin Willemse, but in a live SuperSport broadcast scene that quickly went viral on Saturday night after the victory of the Lions of 42-24 over the Brumbies at Ellis Park, the former Springbok wing was clearly upset at both of the two other seated commentators Nick Mallett and Naas Botha.

"I've been in the game for a long time like most of us here. As a player, I've been called a quota for a long time and I've worked very hard to earn the respect I have now."

"I'm not going to sit here and be patronised by these two individuals who played their rugby during the apartheid era, a segregated era," said Ashwin Willemse who meant it in reference to Nick Mallett and Naas Botha as he walked over to the anchor desk and put his papers down.

Ashwin Willemse said he "can't work with people who undermine other people".

Ashwin Willemse told a grinning Nick Mallett he can continue to laugh but that he knew what happened.

"It's fine. It's fine. I don't mind being ridiculous. I'm glad it happened on live TV so that people can see," said Ashwin Willemse as he readied his studio exit.

Anchor Motshidisi Mohono who tried to say something, interjected with "Ash". She had no time to prepare but kept the show going and said the altercation is "unfortunate" as Ashwin Willemse felt for his lapel mic and walked off set to the right.

"Well, that's unfortunate. Because the match was going so well and so was our conversation - lots of players that have done really, really well in this game as well. It would have been great to hear Ashwin's thoughts especially because he had so much to say regarding this match between the Lions and the Brumbies."

"It is an unfortunate way for us to end this, our coverage of live Super Rugby today," said Motshidisi Mohono.

SuperSport said it is "aware of the on-air incident" and is looking into the matter".

SuperSport told TVwithThinus that "SuperSport views this incident in a very serious light - we will conduct a full investigation and interview all relevant individuals."

Afterwards the live on-air incident that quickly went viral triggered mixed reactions from a wide group of South Africans on social media, some praising Ashwin Willemse and some criticising him.