eNCA silent over 'appointment' of Purple Cow party leader Kanthan Pillay as TV news channel's new news boss.

eNCA (DStv 403) is remaining silent over the alleged appointment of Kanthan Pillay, founder and leader of the Capitalist Party of South Africa (ZACP), as the South African TV news channel's new news boss after the death of Ben Said.

eNCA didn't respond to a media enquiry on Wednesday asking whether Kanthan Pillay was appointed to replace Ben Said who tragicially died in late-August, when the appointment happened and what the official title of the person is now heading up the news division.

On Thursday after a second media enquiry, eNCA spokesperson Lerato Maboi said "When we do have any news to share regarding appointments, we will be certain to communicate. Wishing you a great day ahead".

On Wednesday an insider alleged that "eNCA has employed Kanthan Pillay to replace the late Ben Said. No formal announcement has been made as far as I am aware, but I'm told he is already making important editorial decisions".

"Pillay is founder and leader of the Capitalist Party of South Africa, also known as the Purple Cows. It goes without saying that he promotes and supports a particular political system and ideology," the insider said.

"Surely the journalistic and ethical principals of an 'independent' news organisation is being compromised? Should it be headed up by a politician pushing a particular party line? Where is the editorial independence and objectivity?  Also talk of another line-up change at eNCA."

Later on Wednesday Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, spokesperson of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) publicly tweeted that he had allegedly been "reliable informed" that Kanthan Pillay is now working as eNCA's news boss.

"This is the founder of the Purple Cow party which contested the 2019 elections on a highly reactionary ticket. If this is true, then eNCA is doomed for good!"

I have been reliably informed that @eNCA has appointed Kanthan Pillay as head of news at ENCA. This is the founder of the Purple Cow party which contested the 2019 elections on a highly reactionary ticket.

If this is true, then @ENCA is doomed for good!

— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) October 9, 2019

Reaction from the public and media fraternity following death of eNCA news boss Ben Said: 'His powerful presence in the newsroom will be missed but never what he's taught us'.

Reaction kept pouring in following the tragic, shocking and unexpected death of eNCA's (DStv 403) news boss Ben Said who drowned in a tragic accident in Mozambique on Monday afternoon whilst on holiday:

Philip Owira said "I worked under the leadership and guidance of Ben Said for over a decade. In South Africa he always allowed me to push the boundaries in terms of story telling. He gave our small eNews Late Edition team in Cape Town the freedom to produce a bulletin in an unconventional way."

Mpho Lakaje said "I can't believe my former editor at eNCA Ben Said has passed on. What an amazing journalist and human being. Rest In Peace my dear brother."

Sharon Ogunleye said "I worked with your team for a short while. You never said no to any of my story ideas. You were a quiet man but you made a huge impact.I was inspired each time you went to the field. Your writing style always amazed me."

Johnnie Isaac said "We had the management of Patrick Conroy, Ben Said, Mapi Mahlangu and others. We feared Patrick for his no-nonsense approach and found refuge in Ben's gentleness."

Samora Biko said "I would never forget the name Ben Said. I worked with him in our early years at e.tv at the time. A gentle giant. Soft spoken yet loud. It’s an absolute devastation what I hear and may your family find peace. RIP brother."

Robyn Kriel said "Devastated to hear about my former boss and friend Ben Said's passing. His poor family. What a wonderful guy".

Gaopalelwe Ditinti said "I met him a couple of years ago with my sister who was at Juta buying textbooks. Ben Said was outside with an eNCA or eNews camera and mic. A kid recognised his and yelled 'Ben Said, eNews, Pretoria!' He smiled from ear to ear and was nice to everyone who greeted him".

Simon Stephens said "I wept at the news then broke it" and that Ben Said "was over my shoulder in the control room on Friday and we laughed about something. His clubs are in my garage. Awful day".

Shahan Ramikissoon said "Ben Said will forever be someone I look up to for his fearless, outstanding journalism. His powerful presence in our newsroom will be missed but we will never forget everything he's taught us".

One of the most difficult things I've had to do on air but I had to because we need to honour someone like Ben Said. We pay tribute to a man who inspired courage. One of the greatest TV journalists. A poetic writer, fearless in his approach to tell the truth. #RIPBenSaid pic.twitter.com/LkvWlDbMIe

— Shahan Ramkissoon (@ShahanR) August 27, 2019

Narissa Subramoney said "Ben Said told me I would have to fight for my ideas because TV is cutthroat and everyone thinks their ideas are better. I replied that I would be in his office, fighting daily. He said his door is always open. He was fair in an unfair world and kind in a cutthroat industry".

Karyn Maughan said "Ben Said persuaded eNCA to hire me when I was a punky-looking newspaper reporter with black and pink hair and terrible dress sense. He was an incredible, thoughtful journalist and a great boss. I am devastated by his passing, and my heart breaks for his family. This is beyond sad".

Louis Oelofse said "I'm not sure what an immense impact Ben Said has had on my life" and that he and Ben Said the last few months often spoke about his plans for eNCA. "Ben was friendly, inspiring, a voice of reason with a dry sense of humour. Hy was my friend and one of the good guys."

Samkele Maseko said "Farewell Ben Said. You were a great listener, gave direction and provided leadership. You always gave constructive criticism on one's packages. You will be missed".

Iman Rappetti said "Ben, my darling, I'll always love you. My heart can't deal."

Hopewell Chin'ono said "I'm gutted to hear of the tragic passing of my friend and journalism colleague Ben Said. We worked together on many big stories under the most difficult of circumstances but his laughter always broke the ice when there was fear".

Derek van Dam said "I'm so saddened to hear this news of the passing of a great colleague, excellent journalist and wonderful mentor during my time at eNCA in South Africa. He will be missed. Rest in peace Ben Said".

Twanji Kalula said "Ben Said intimidated the hell out of me when I joined eMedia as a young media person. I thought he was so smart and talented, and wanted to be in the same league someday".

Paula Slier said that she's "shocked and deeply saddened to hear the tragic news about Ben Said's passing. I saw Ben during my last trip to South Africa a few weeks ago and was reminded again of what a perfect gentleman and outstanding journalist he is - and will always be remembered as".

Kieran Burke said "Heartbroken. We've lost an immense person. Ben Said, I count myself lucky to have known you. Rest well my friend, until we meet again".

Chriselda Lewis said "As a media practitioner, I am very sad to hear this. We all had great respect for Ben".

Peter Ndoro said "so sorry to hear this very sad news. What a loss. My deepest condolences. My thoughts and prayers are with your whole family".

Chris Bishop said "One of the best. Ben I shall never forget you, nor your passion for the job".

Marcelle Gordon said "Ben was just beginning to rev those journalistic engines in his new gig at eNCA and he was happy to be home. What a tragic loss".

Robin Adams said "My heart is so sore".

The South African government in a statement on Tuesday said that it "conveys its deepest condolences to the family and friends on the passing away of journalist and eNCA director of news, Ben Said".

"The death of a journalist of Ben Said's calibre makes the media profession poorer," said government spokesperson Phumla Williams. "The industry, and in particular journalists, plays a critical role in shaping public discourse, equipping citizens with information, and strengthening the country's democracy."

The TRT World news channel in Turkey in a statement on Tuesday said that "the news of Ben Said's death has brought immense sadness to the entire TRT World family. Ben Said was an excellent journalist and has inspired many of us who had the honour of working with him here at TRT World. He played an essential role in shaping the channel".

Riyaad Minty said "Ben Said was a fantastic journalist who always had time to pass on his knowledge to younger people in the newsroom."

Mapi Mhlangu said "I'm devastated. Ben Said was a brilliant television journalist and a perfect gentleman. He was group news editor when I served as head of assignments. I used to assign him and just marvel at his craft.Who can forget the Marikana story told through vide footage?"

Bongiwe Zwane said "What a boss! The best manager I have ever worked for. After Jeremy Maggs recommended me for a reporter position, Ben Said took a chance and hired me. The rol you played in shaping my career is immense. Broadcast journalism is poorer without Ben".

Annika Larsen said "You were so decent. Infuriatingly principled at times. There's a song playing on the radio right now 'Lean on me'. Sometimes in our lives we all need someone to lean on. We leaned on you. Thank you".

Simon Marks said "Waking up in the United States to learn of the tragic death of Ben Said, veteran of both eNCA and TRT World. A good friend to all at FSN, we'll greatly miss his wisdom, advice and untrammelled enthusiasm for great stories. An enormous loss to his family, his friends and the industry".

Luyanda Maone said "I worked with him at eNews for 3 years - principled, kind, thorough and very soft-spoken. The world is a poorer place without him in it."

Kungawo Inga said " 'Ben Said, eNews, Johannesburg.' I grew up loving that line. I'd even wait tilthe end of a clip and say it together with him! He was the man who inspired me to fall in love with and study journalism".

Melanie Rice said "It's not surprising to see how many lives Ben Said touched and how many young journalists he mentored. It's devastating to realise how many more lives he would have changed through his leadership. His death is a huge loss."

Cathy Mohlahlana from Newzroom Afrika said "What a tremendous loss to broadcast journalism. Ben was my manager and the one who recruited me to eNCA. He convinced me to give TV a try. Condolences to his family. We will never forget him".

Patrick Conroy said "Devastated at the passing of my friend for 30 years. From students to radio and then TV. I can't imagine working in media without you Ben. All the achievements would not have been possible without you my friend. You contributed so much to this country. We will miss you greatly."


More tributes and thoughts to follow ...

Deep shock after eNCA news boss Ben Said dies following drowning accident Monday afternoon in Mozambique.

eNCA's new news boss Ben Said (45) who recently returned from Turkey to head up the South African TV news channel has died after a tragic drowning accident on Monday afternoon whilst on vacation with his family in Mozambique.

"It is with devastation shock and deep sorrow that eNCA announces that the channel’s director of news," eNCA says in a statement.

"Ben Said drowned while on holiday with his family in Mozambique on Monday afternoon. Ben had recently returned to South Africa from TRT World in Turkey and had re-joined the senior management team at eNCA."

eNCA editor Jeremy Maggs says "Ben was one of the country's best television journalists and his loss to the station is immense. Having just re-joined the station he was already making his presence felt across all aspects of the business. We are all in deep shock."

"eMedia investments extends its sincerest condolences to his wife Nicky and his daughters Lily and Bella."

On Tuesday morning, Ben Said's brother Nick wrote on Facebook: "It is with unbelievable sadness that I confirm my beloved brother Ben Said passed away suddenly while on holiday in Mozambique. Our family is devastated, and our hearts bleed for Nikki and the girls. We have lost a wonderful man. We will let you know about funeral arrangements in due course."

Nick in an interview with the Cape Talk radio station said that Ben Said was supposed to go snorkelling with two friends after the family and friends played cricket on the beach but then said that he wasn't feeling well. The two proceeded and left Ben who was knee-deep in the water. 

When they returned they found him dead in the water where he likely collapsed.

The South African government in a statement on Tuesday said that it "conveys its deepest condolences to the family and friends on the passing away of journalist and eNCA director of news, Ben Said".

"The death of a journalist of Ben Said's calibre makes the media profession poorer," said government spokesperson Phumla Williams. "The industry, and in particular journalists, plays a critical role in shaping public discourse, equipping citizens with information, and strengthening the country's democracy."

"The government extends heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Ben Said."

The South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) in a statement said that "SANEF is deeply saddened by this loss to the media industry and we send our deepest condolences to his wife Nicky and his daughters Lily and Bella as well as his family, friends and colleagues across the media industry".

Ben Said rejoined eNCA in July this year, responsible for editorial output.

Ben Said left eNCA at the end of 2015 to join TRT World (Cell C black 508), the English TV news channel start-up from broadcaster TRT in Turkey as news executive producer.

After three and a half years in Istanbul, Ben Said returned to South Africa and eNCA after he joined e.tv as a producer in 2000 long before eNCA, formerly the eNews Channel, existed, and e.tv just started its eNews brand doing news bulletins for e.tv.

Ben Said became a senior reporter covering a large number of stories for eNews on e.tv and was eventually appointed group news editor at eNCA. Throughout his first 15 year career at e.tv and later eNCA and although moving into a news management position he kept appearing from time to time to report on-air and to give analysis.

ALSO READ: Reaction from the public and media fraternity following death of eNCA news boss Ben Said: 'His powerful presence in the newsroom will be missed but never what he's taught us'.

Ben Said back at eNCA as news director.

TV news veteran Ben Said is back at eNCA (DStv 403) and has rejoined the South African TV news channel in the position as eNCA news director.

Ben Said joined in July 2019 and will be responsible for editorial output, the channel told TVwithThinus.

Ben Said left eNCA at the end of 2015 to join TRT World (Cell C black 508), the English TV news channel start-up from broadcaster TRT in Turkey as news executive producer.

After three and a half years in Istanbul, Ben Said has now returned to South Africa and eNCA.

Ben Said joined e.tv as a producer in 2000 long before eNCA, formerly the eNews Channel, existed, and e.tv just started its eNews brand doing news bulletins for e.tv.

Ben Said became a senior reporter covering a large number of stories for eNews on e.tv and was eventually appointed group news editor at eNCA. Throughout his first 15 year career at e.tv and later eNCA and although moving into a news management position he kept appearing from time to time to report on-air and to give analysis.

BREAKING. eNCA sports anchor Carmen Reddy hospitalised after the news reader was attacked and shot in home invasion; bullet lodged in her shoulder.

The eNCA (DStv 403) sports anchor Carmen Reddy and 5FM news reader was hospitalised after she was attacked on Wednesday evening during a home invasion and shot with a bullet lodged in her left shoulder.

Carmen Reddy who has undergone surgery, is currently in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

Carmen Reddy was celebrating the festival of Diwali with her mother and two fellow radio personalities, Vic Naidoo from 5FM and Aurelie Kalenga from Highveld Stereo, in her Centurion home when a man with a balaclava on and a gun in his hand suddenly walked towards them.

He entered the dining room of the Centurion home in a gated housing estate with three others. Carmen Reddy tried to flee to a bedroom and was shot.

Ben Said, eNCA group news editor, said that Carmen Reddy is "doing well but is in hospital receiving surgery to have the bullet removed. She will make a full recovery".

On social media eNCA tweeted that "we wish our colleague Carmen Reddy a speedy recoverafter being wounded in an armed robbery at her home last night".

A cellphone was stolen in the armed robbery and Gauteng police are now looking for four men.

eNCA loses its group news editor, Ben Said; veteran news talent leaves 'a huge gap' as he departs e.tv's news division after 15 years.

eNCA (DStv 403) is losing its group news editor, veteran news man Ben Said, who is leaving Sabido's South African 24-hour TV news channel at the end of the year after 15 years with e.tv (read his internal farewell letter to eNCA colleagues below).

2015 continues to be a bad year for eNCA as the channel is going through a painful downsizing, having closed international bureaus, shuttering its entire African division outside of South Africa, cancelling several programming strands and actuality shows and shedding staff.

Following multiple high profile departures this year and the loss of several on-air personalities gone from eNCA so far this year, Ben Said's looming departure in December is the latest personnel loss impacting morale at the channel which is still the most watched TV news channel on MultiChoice's DStv platform in South Africa.

Ben Said is joining TRT World, a new English TV news channel start-up from broadcaster TRT in Turkey, where he will join, in a senior position, some former eNCA colleagues and other South Africans who've also joined the new channel.

Ben Said joined e.tv as a producer in 2000 long before eNCA, formerly the eNews Channel, existed, and e.tv just started its eNews brand doing news bulletins for e.tv.

Ben Said became a senior reporter covering a large number of stories for eNews on e.tv and was eventually appointed group news editor at eNCA. Throughout his 15 year career at e.tv and later eNCA and although moving into a news management position he kept appearing from time to time to report on-air and to give analysis.

"He has been an inspirational leader committed to mentoring the next wave of management and dedicated to transformation within the company," says Patrick Conroy, eNCA managing director.

"Ben Said leaves a huge gap in our organisation," says Patrick Conroy.

"It has been an absolute privilege to grow alongside eNews and eNCA for the past 15 years," says Ben Said. "While I am incredibly sad to be leaving, this feels like the right time to be making a move like this."

"In December I will leave behind an experienced management team and the hardest-working, most dedicated journalists, camera-operators and technical staff in South Africa."

eNCA's news director, Mapi Mhlangu, says eNCA is concerned about the constant poaching of talent from eNCA.

TV with Thinus obtained Ben Said's internal message to eNCA staff announcing he's leaving:

Dear Colleagues

It is with great regret that I announce that I will be leaving eNCA at the end of December. My last day will be December 25th.

This is the hardest email I have ever had to write but I have thought long and hard about this decision and am confident that it is the right one.

A good opportunity has presented itself in Istanbul, Turkey with TRT World and I have accepted. The time for a new adventure has begun.

After more than 15 years, I will leave with much sadness but also pride that I have played a role in the growth of Africa's finest news channel. Indeed I believe that eNCA ranks as one of the world's greatest regional news channels and is a credit to South Africa.

This is due to you - all of you - who over the years and against the odds have worked tirelessly, resourcefully and professionally to not only build this channel but to hold up a mirror to South African society. 

That mirror is never more needed than now. As South Africa's democracy and economy faces challenges, the role of the likes of eNCA to show South Africans what is going on in our society is critical - to unearth, to explain and sometimes even to guide.

We must remember that as South Africa faces, at times, seemingly insurmountable obstacles, that good, positive change is happening too. Every day, in every corner of our land.

We will continue to tell the story of the unscrupulous, the crooked, the bad, but we willalso continue to tell the story of the good people we are - for we are good people.

While away, I will miss this vibrant, noisy, democracy. Both in terms of the country and in terms of the newsroom! I will leave behind a group of excellent, experienced managers in Johannesburg and Cape Town who I have no doubt will take eNCA from strength to strength.

And when I do leave, I ask that you help them, sometimes help guide them, remember that we are actually all in this together. Forgive the mistakes they make make - lord knows I've made enough of my own.

But please remember that mistakes are few and successes are many in this newsroom. 24 hour news management in SA must rank as one of the toughest jobs in journalism anywhere.

While for me personally this feels like a good move, I remain extremely confident in the future of eNCA and e.tv. Yes, media is changing and we need to adapt to that but these two channels are embedded in the psyche of the nation and I believe will remain so for many years to come.

eNCA, due to many years of hard work by all of you, has become South Africa's de facto national news channel. I believe this will continue in the years ahead.

There will be much more time over the next eight weeks for thank you's, goodbye's and good wishes but for now that's all there is to say.

Kind Regards,
Ben Said

BREAKING. Chris Maroleng exiting eNCA as the second high-ranking on-air talent leaving the South African TV news channel after 6 years.

Chris Maroleng is exiting eNCA (DStv 403) as the second high-ranking on-air talent who has been with the 24-hour TV news channel for six years and who is now leaving.

Following eNCA's chief meteorologist Derek van Dam who is leaving eNCA after six years is Chris Maroleng, eNCA's Africa editor, whose last day with eNCA will be on 12 July.

Chris Maroleng is leaving for the corporate world.

He led the team which started eNews Africa in 2009 and has built up the channel's Africa division, which included the setting up of news bureaux in Nairobi and Lagos, and was the anchor of the weekly show Africa 360.

"eNCA can confirm that Chris Maroleng has resigned," says Ben Said, eNCA group news editor.

"The good work done by Chris and his team will continue. eNCA remains committed to bringing credible and balanced news from around the African continent. He will be greatly missed for his knowledge and expertise. eNCA wish him well in his new endeavour".

BREAKING. eNCA knocked out by a power surge; TV news channel on DStv hopes to be back on-air by noon on Monday with live programming.

You're reading it here first.

eNCA (DStv 403) which experienced a channel blackout on MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform on Monday morning tells TV with Thinus that the news operation was knocked out and off air by a power surge in its Hyde Park headquarters but that the South African 24-hour TV news channel hopes to be back on air with live news programming and reporting by noon on Monday.

"It was a power surge which knocked out some of the services at eNCA in Johannesburg," Ben Said, eNCA group news editor told TV with Thinus on Monday morning.

"We've been working to get everybody in and to get Cape Town [eNCA's Cape Town bureau] to take over with news bulletins and we're now running current affairs programmes," said Ben Said.

He said he doesn't know the exact technical details as to how the power surge affected eNCA's systems but said "we hope to be back on-air by noon".

eNCA is the most watched in South Africa of all of the available 24-hour TV news channels, local and international channels included.

The loss on Monday morning of eNCA marks the second major broadcasting interruption of the eNews service, co-incidentally again on a Monday.

On Monday 24 October 2011 the eNews Channel - the former name of eNCA- froze and cut out on DStv leaving viewers and DStv subscribers clueless as to what happened to the channel.

The loss of eNCA on Monday morning also marks the second major TV channel loss and interruption incident occuring on MultiChoice's operated satellite pay-TV system this month.

Earlier in April DStv subscribers lost SABC1, SABC2, SABC3 and SABC News (DStv 404) due to a "complete failure of MultiChoice head-end equipment" with the back-up which failed too.


UPDATE: At 11:56 eNCA NewsDay anchor Andrew Barnes welcomed DStv subscribers and viewers back to the channel saying "Good to be back on-air after some gremlins have been weeded from the system".

BREAKING. eNCA after its reporter is harassed by South African Police: 'Outrageous bullying tactics unacceptable' in South Africa.

Photo: Beeld

The eNCA (DStv 403) 24-hour TV news channel tells TV with Thinus it is "outrageous" that the South African police harassed one of its TV reporters and forcibly removed images off of his cellphone and that eNCA find these "bullying tactics" of journalists in South Africa unacceptable.

Ben Said, group news editor of eNCA tells me that eNCA will be taking up the matter with the South African Police as well as the ANC political party.

Yesterday a member of the South African Police's VIP unit, dressed in plain clothes, forcibly removed images from the cellphone of eNCA reporter Nickolaus Bauer.

Nickolaus Bauer was at an ANC election rally in Duduza.

The incident occured after Nickolaus Bauer took photos of an Ekurhuleni government vehicle transporting and handing out ANC T-shirts to ANC supporters at one of the political party's election rallies.

This is a transgression and abuse of state resources to use a government vehicle for a specific political party's electioneering.

"We think it is outrageous and it is just another example of these sort of incidents where the police are willing to abuse their power; intimidating and harassing journalists," says Ben Said.

"It goes against SANEF's code of conduct signed with the South African Police," says Ben Said.

"These bullying tactics by the South African Police are unacceptable in a democratic South Africa".

"We are going to be taking the matter up with the head of the South African Police's VIP unit and I've also asked the ANC to look into the matter," says Ben Said.


ALSO READ: eNCA reporter Nickolaus Bauer harassed by ANC; reporter has cellphone forcibly taken and images deleted.

BREAKING. eNews Channel on Haiti TV coverage: ''We aim to stay on this story.''

You're reading it here first.

''We aim to stay on this story because we think it's going to be compelling for weeks to come.''

So says eNews group news editor Ben Said. I spoke with him early this morning about the excellent TV coverage of eNews and the eNews Channel (DStv 403) of Haiti where eNews now has their own cameraman, TV reporter Jody Jacobs and eNews Output Editor Louis Oelofse on the scene about which I wrote RIGHT HERE yesterday.

I asked Ben Said about eNews' logistical challenges of having a TV reporter in Haiti, what went into the decision to send someone, how they actually got there,  and the challenges of a South African TV news channel getting TV footage out of Haiti.

For my interview with Ben Said and his very interesting answers, you can click on READ MORE below!