SABC News TV channel adjusts schedule with serial channel hopper Thembekile Mrototo co-anchoring The Full View prime time

by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC News (DStv 404) TV news channel adjusted its schedule from 1 April 2025 with channel hopper anchor Thembekile Mrototo now once again back at the public broadcaster to co-anchor The Full View prime-time block between 18:00 and 21:00.

On 1 April, and asked again after that, the SABC was asked in a media query about the SABC News changes for information about the channel's line-up changes. No information on anything from SABC News as a TV channel was forthcoming a week later when this report was published.

On Sundays, Thulasizwe Simelane anchors The Week Ahead on SABC News between 12:00 and 15:00. He is also the face of Week in Review on Saturdays between 12:00 and 15:00.

Morning Live, simulcast on SABC2 and SABC News, remains on weekdays between 6:00 and 9:00, co-anchored by Leanne Manas and Sakina Kamwendo.

Ayanda Nyathi anchors The Agenda block between 9:00 and 12:00 on weekdays.

After the implosion of Paula Slier and Trevor Bester's Newshound company that did the short-lived News1 streaming channel for Sentech's Freevision Play and had plans to also do a Brics Global TV News (BGTN), Juliet Newell who was an anchor there, is now on SABC News anchoring On Point on weekdays between 12:00 and 15:00.

Unathi Batyashe anchors the SA Today block on SABC News between 15:00 and 18:00.

The Full View block between 18:00 and 19:00 is now co-anchored by Bongiwe Zwane and the serial channel hopper Thembekile Mrototo who keeps revolving, leaving and returning between eNCA (DStv 403), SABC News, Newzroom Afrika (DStv 405) and who is now once again back at SABC News for another stint.

Clement Manyathela anchors Face the Nation on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 20:00 and 21:00.

Mfundo Mabalane and Mpho Sithole are the co-anchors of The Late Edition block on weekdays on SABC News between 21:00 and 23:00.

The SABC3 English TV news bulletin, Prime News at 20:00, is suddenly co-anchored by Becky Motumo and Paulette Kaise. There's been no information to the media about this from the SABC or SABC3.

SABC2 adds 13-episode profile talk show 30 Winds of Change with Clement Manyathela on Sunday nights

by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC is adding a profile talk series, 30 Winds of Change to SABC2 from Sunday 15 December in which various well-known South African personalities will reflect on their journeys and that of South Africa over the past three decades of South African democracy.

The 13-episode 30 Winds of Change on Sundays at 21:30 on SABC2 has Clement Manyathela as the presenter who will have conversations with people ranging from Mfundi Vundla, the Generations creator, to SABC2's Morning Live presenter Leanne Manas.

The other personalities who will appear in the episodes include sports broadcaster Robert Marawa, former People of the South talk show host Dali Tambo, the South African politician Helen Zille, the former chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, former public protector advocate Thuli Madonsela, and the founder of Gift of the Givers, Imitiaz Sooliman.

The business leader Nonkululeko Gobodo, the Standard Bank CEO Sim Tshabalala, former university vice-chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng, the journalists Mzilikazi wa Afrika and Mandy Wiener, as well as businessman Christo Wiese will also feature in 30 Winds of Change.

"It is an honour to engage with such iconic voices, who have played pivotal roles in shaping South Africa’s past, present and future," says Clement Manyathela in a press release about the show.

"This series is not just about looking back - it is about understanding where we are today and envisioning the future as a country."

Yonwaba Pangeni, SABC2 channel head [Note: The SABC didn't previously communicate that Yonwaba Pangeni has been appointed as SABC2 channel head], in a prepared quote, says "SABC2 has always been committed to delivering content that reflects South Africa's journey of progress".

"As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of our country's democracy, SABC2 is proud to present shows like 30 Winds of Change that offer insightful entertainment and thought-provoking conversations with key figures."

Coronavirus: The Morning Show returns to e.tv for its third iteration now with William Lehong and Nelisiwe Nxumalo fronting the virtual blue screen show as co-anchors after backstage production shake-up.

by Thinus Ferreira

e.tv's The Morning Show returned to the airwaves this morning for its third iteration, a month and a half after the struggling breakfast show shuttered production because of the Covid-19 coronavirus, losing presenters and behind-the-scenes crew, now opting for a virtual set and with William Lehong and Nelisiwe Nxumalo as co-anchors.

The former anchors Tumelo Mothotoane and Clement Manyathela are gone.

On Monday morning neither William Lehong nor Nelisiwe Nxumalo explained the rebrand, the absence of any of the former presenters or any of the behind-the-scenes drama, but did mention the new virtual set and that the show is glad to be back after the easing of Covid-19 lockdown regulations.

The Cheeky Media produced morning show shuttered for a combination of movies and kids morning programming on e.tv over the past 6 weeks.

SABC News and SABC2's breakfast show and the country's most-watched morning show, Morning Live that is produced in-house by the South African public broadcaster, as well as Expresso on SABC3 produced by the external production company Cardova Productions, both remained on-air.

In March after e.tv pulled The Morning Show off the air following the South African government's regulations surrounding the country's Covid-19 national lockdown period, Cheeky Media told the crew of the Johannesburg-based The Morning Show that they were out of jobs and were told to apply for unemployment at the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).

"We're facing trying times, with our key clients having cancelled campaigns and cut down spend as they too are unsure of what the next couple of months will entail," Cheeky Media told staffers in a letter in late-March letting them go.

"We write to you to, our loyal and trusted staff, with the sole objective to provide transparency in these unclear times. Please take note that based on the feedback from e.tv today [26 March 2020], Cheeky Media will, with immediate effect, suspend all business activities until further notice."

"As of today, Cheeky Media will specifically terminate all permanent and fixed-term contracts, as well as services rendered by independent contractors. Any payment due to you will be pro-rated for the month of March, up to and including 26 March. This is a tough decision for us and all businesses alike, to make."

Now The Morning Show has been reconstituted and is once again on-air between 06:00 and 08:00 but once again with noticeable differences in the latest relaunch since it replaced Sunrise two years ago.

It's the third iteration of The Morning Show, now using a virtual desk and digitally super-imposed backdrop with William Lehong and Nelisiwe Nxumalo who are back and now the co-anchors of the blue screen show. Cheeky Media plans to make further appointments as the show gears up production again.

"The Morning Show has been a stellar performing production, and we look forward to its return," says Marlon Davids, e.tv managing director, in a prepared statement. "We believe that with the lockdown still in place, our viewers will appreciate the fresh current affairs, lifestyle, and topical discussion content that will be on offer this coming week."

Yusuf Stevens, Cheeky Media managing director, in the statement says "Being home during the lockdown gave us a much-needed refresh and allowed us to strategise remotely as a team - we’ve never had this amount of time for pre-production".

"We naturally still have quite a bit of constraint in terms of producing and what we are allowed to do, but this won’t stop us from shaking things up within the confines of the rules. We cannot wait for you to see the 'new' Morning Show."

ALSO READ: Coronavirus: e.tv’s The Morning Show off-air, crew and presenters of the Cheeky Media produced show all axed over Covid-19 national shutdown.

A fibre-break takes e.tv's The Morning Show off-air on Friday.

A "fibre-break" took e.tv's The Morning Show, done from Steyn City, off-air on Friday morning.

e.tv says technical problems due to a fibre-break is to blame for the broadcast interruption of The Morning Show that is broadcast between 06:00 and 08:00.

"This was due to a technical issue. There was a fibre-break in the Sandton/Rivonia area in Johannesburg, which affected Telemedia. At 07:09 the fibre-break was fixed, and the video link was immediately re-established," says an e.tv spokesperson.

At some point the presenters of The Morning Show on e.tv changed yet again but there was no word or official announcement from e.tv about it when it happened.

In response to a media enquiry about why and when The Morning Show changed again, e.tv tells TVwithThinus that the show, produced by Cheeky Media, now has Clement Manyathela, William Lehong and Tumelo Mothotoane as the three presenters.

The rest have quietly been fired after just a few months since the start of The Morning Show.

"Our new presenters are Clement Manyathela and William Lehong. Tumelo Mothotoane was joined by Clement in November and William in December," says e.tv.

"We added new presenters as the show changed its editorial direction late last year. The Morning Show now has less lifestyle content and a greater focus on current affairs."