Coronavirus: The SABC investigating Somizi Mhlongo over his Covid-19 'dangerous joke' fake news.

by Thinus Ferreira

The South African public broadcaster says it's launching its own investigation into Somizi Mhlongo after the reality TV star and choreographer's alleged Covid-19 fake news premature announcement about an extension of South African's national lockdown period that he apologised for and called "a dangerous statement".

South Africa's minister of transport, Fikile Mbalula on Friday opened a case against Somizi Mhlongo for allegedly flouting the 21-day Covid-19 coronavirus national lockdown regulations by creating and spreading fake news and misinformation.

Somizi Mhlongo was charged in terms of regulation 11(5)(c) of the Disaster Management Act, in relation to publishing any statement through any medium including social media with the intention to deceive any other person about measures by the government to address Covid-19.

It followed after Dineo Ranaka did an Instagram Live broadcast on Thursday morning in which Somizi Mhlongo was heard saying that Fikile Mbalula told him that president Cyril Ramaphosa would extend the country's national lockdown for a further two weeks before Ramaphosa made the announcement in his Thursday night live televised address.

Fikile Mbalula said he never spoke to Somizi Mhlongo about an extension of South Africa's national lockdown situation, with Mhlongo who has since apologised on social media and said that he was just joking and that he "did not know about the extension just like everybody else" and that "I apologise to the minister for such a dangerous statement".

Somizi Mhlongo is an Idols judge and star of the reality show Living the Dream with Somizi on MultiChoice's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel and earlier this year shared his wedding build-up and ceremony on MultiChoice's Showmax streaming service in the series Somizi & Mohale: The Union.  He is also a presenter on the SABC's Metro FM radio station.

"This matter has been referred to the law enforcement authorities and we will let the process unfold. In line with our internal processes, we will also engage Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung, investigate the matter and will be guided by our policies on an appropriate action to be taken," says Mmoni Seapolelo, SABC spokesperson.

"The SABC regrets the incident concerning Metro FM on-air personality, Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung. Although Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung's utterances were not part of the broadcast of his programme on Metro FM, we would like to put it on record that we do not tolerate any behaviour that is in contravention with the government's regulations under the Disaster Management Act on fake news and information peddling," says Mmoni Seapolelo.

Philly Kubheka, Mzansi Magic spokesperson, told TVwithThinus that M-Net doesn't have any comment and will not be doing any investigations on Somizi.

The Somizi Mhlongo case is the latest high-profile case this week of people who got into trouble for allegedly flouting rules of South Africa's national lockdown period.

While the country's communications minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, wasn't charged, president Cyril Ramaphosa this week placed her on 2 months "special leave", one month of which will be unpaid, after an image was posted publicly of her doing lunch at the home of South Africa's former deputy minister of higher education and training, Mduduzi Manana.

The Bachelor South Africa's bachelor Marc Buckner of the second season of the reality show screened on M-Net (DStv 101) said on Wednesday that he was allegedly arrested for allegedly violating the national lockdown regulations and fined R1 500 after he was walking back home from shopping.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo told me on Friday night that he can’t confirm whether Marc Bucker was arrested or not but said if a member of the public receives a lockdown period fine and want to challenge that they’re welcome to go to court. 

 "A written J534 fine you don’t have to pay it if you feel that you have been in any way prejudiced or you feel that you were not given the fine justifiably. Then you can go to court and challenge that."

On Tuesday the Durbanville man, Steven Birch appeared in the Cape Town magistrate's court after a case was opened against him for allegedly spreading fake news about Covid-19. In a widely-shared video message on social media he falsely claimed that the South African government's coronavirus testing kits were contaminated and will infect people.


ALSO READ: Coronavirus: South Africa's transport minister Fikile Mbalula lays charge against reality TV star Somizi Mhlongo for allegedly spreading Covid-19 fake news.

Coronavirus: South Africa's transport minister Fikile Mbalula lays charge against reality TV star Somizi Mhlongo for allegedly spreading Covid-19 fake news.

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's minister of transport, Fikile Mbalula, has opened a case against the country's TV reality star and choreographer Somizi Mhlongo for allegedly flouting the 21-day Covid-19 coronavirus national lockdown regulations by creating and spreading fake news and misinformation.

Fikile Mbalula announced that he has laid a charge on Friday at the Sandton police station against the Idols judge and star of the reality show Living the Dream with Somizi on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) who earlier this year shared his wedding build-up and ceremony on MultiChoice's Showmax streaming service in the series Somizi & Mohale: The Union. 

Somizi Mhlongo was charged in terms of regulation 11(5)(c) of the Disaster Management Act, in relation to publishing any statement through any medium including social media with the intention to deceive any other person about measures by the government to address Covid-19.

Fikile Mbalula laid the charge after a social media blow-up on Twitter on Thursday night when he and Somizi were both taken to task by the public.

It followed after Dineo Ranaka did an Instagram Live broadcast on Thursday morning in which Somizi Mhlongo was heard saying that Fikile Mbalula told him that president Cyril Ramaphosa would extend the country's national lockdown for a further two weeks before Ramaphosa made the announcement in his Thursday night live televised address.

Fikile Mbalula claims he never spoke to Somizi Mhlongo about an extension of South Africa's national lockdown situation, with Mhlongo who has since apologised on social media and said that he was just joking and that he "did not know about the extension just like everybody else" and that "I apologise to the minister for such a dangerous statement".

Fikile Mbalula said on Friday after he laid the charge,said that "The person who released the video, for whatever reasons, quiet clearly was being disruptive and that is why we forewarn people that do not play with the regulations and disinformation, information peddling and fake news".

"That information, how it was released [by Somizi] - it was meant to be disruptive. Because it [the announcement of the lockdown extension] was not released at the time it was recorded. When I was chatting to him that was recorded in the early-morning show. But it [the announcement of the lockdown extension] was released in the evening," said Fikile who spoke to the media at the police station's gate.

"Quite clearly there is a mischief there by somebody who did it. It was Instagram Live. That's how they did it in the studio and he spoke about me there. The person who released it is not dumb. He was doing it deliberately before the president speaks [sic], to agitate and mobilise the society to say that 'Aah,some of your cabinet members are sitting with their friends, wherever they are sitting, and they are leaking information," said Fikile Mbalula.

WATCH: Minister Mbalula at Sandton Police Station Friday laying a charge against the contravention of Lockdown Regulations. #LockdownSA pic.twitter.com/UgPYisIrx4

— MEDIA LIAISON | Esethu Hasane (@EsethuOnDuty) April 10, 2020

In a written press statement Fikile Mbalula said that "I have noted Somizi Mhlongo's apology, however I do not view his utterances as mere joke, the country is going through a serious disaster management period and any misinformation, irregular or unauthorised information being published is both unlawful and not assisting our cause to manage public affairs carefully".

"Even though Somizi Mhlongo guessed right in his speculative discussion - he went further to mislead the public about the source of his information which undermines and is preemptive on government and the president over very sensitive information of a national security caliber," saying that Somizi Mhlongo "has acted very recklessly and irresponsibly".

The Somizi Mhlongo case is the latest high-profile case this week of people who got into trouble for allegedly flouting rules of South Africa's national lockdown period.

While the country's communications minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, wasn't charged, president Cyril Ramaphosa this week placed her on 2 months "special leave", one month of which will be unpaid, after an image was posted publicly of her doing lunch at the home of South Africa's former deputy minister of higher education and training, Mduduzi Manana.

The Bachelor South Africa's bachelor Marc Buckner of the second season of the reality show screened on M-Net (DStv 101) said on Wednesday that he was allegedly arrested for allegedly violating the national lockdown regulations and fined R1 500 after he was walking back home from shopping.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo told me on Friday night that he can’t confirm whether Marc Bucker was arrested or not but said if a member of the public receives a lockdown period fine and want to challenge that they’re welcome to go to court. 

 "A written J534 fine you don’t have to pay it if you feel that you have been in any way prejudiced or you feel that you were not given the fine justifiably. Then you can go to court and challenge that."

On Tuesday the Durbanville man, Steven Birch appeared in the Cape Town magistrate's court after a case was opened against him for allegedly spreading fake news about Covid-19. In a widely-shared video message on social media he falsely claimed that the South African government's coronavirus testing kits were contaminated and will infect people.


ALSO READ: Coronavirus: The SABC investigating Somizi Mhlongo over his Covid-19 'dangerous joke' fake news.

Don't use your government or public services phone and time to complain to MultiChoice about your DStv Compact reconnection.

Don't use your government phone or public services phone line - especially not during work hours when you're supposed to help the public - to call and complain to MultiChoice about getting your DStv Compact connected.

South Africa's minister of police, Fikile Mbalula on Wednesday trashed the "rotten potato" Constable LC Phaswane of Sandton police who was filmed sorting out her DStv account issues on the work phone during work time instead of helping the public.

Constable LC Phaswane who was on-duty couldn't care less about actually helping people when she called MultiChoice to get her DStv Compact sorted at the Buccleuch police station.

On Wednesday Fikile Mbalula slammed bad cops like Constable LC Phaswane and said disciplinary action will be taken again her for putting her "personal needs" like sorting out her DStv, above people - and doing so with state resources during work time no less.

He said the "rotten potato" must serve as a warning to others.

"I can confirm that disciplinary processes have been initiated and this must serve as a warning to other rotten potatoes. We will not tolerate rogue elements within our ranks, we must name and shame them," Fikile Mbalula said in a statement, launching a new drive to get the public to report bad police members.

"This campaign will go a long way to strengthen partnership between police and our people".

In the video that went viral, Constable LC Phaswane can be heard telling DStv "It’s giving me problems".

"You are charging me and it’s off. No they did not reverse it. If they say I owe MultiChoice R69 they didn’t reverse".

"Ja, to be reconnected because it is giving me problems. You are charging me and it is off. I'm not happy."

Constable LC Phaswane is probably even less happy now.

Despite years of boxing broadcasting rights legal issues, live boxing is set to return to the SABC from 26 June at 21:30 to SABC2.

You're reading it here first. 

After being bogged down in legal issues over it for years, the SABC will go ahead and show the first live boxing match in many years on the public broadcaster on 26 June, televising a bout from Birchwood in Gauteng.

After postponing an initial announcement, the minister of sport, Fikile Mbalula and the SABC finally announced on Friday night from the SABC's M1 Studios that boxing matches will again be shown on the public broadcaster from 26 June at 21:30.

On 26 June the SABC will broadcast an international 10-round bantamweight bout on SABC2 and then a bout for the middleweight Gauteng title between Tebogo Molose (32) and Walter Dlamini (35) from the Birchwood Hotel.

Boxing's public profile in South Africa had diminished hugely over the years as private and commercial sponsors largely fell away due to the dramatic decrease in television exposure, which in turn negatively impacted the sport.

Major legal wrangling and rights issues behind the scenes and a longrunning blackout by the SABC prevented professional boxing from being shown on the public broadcaster for the past half a decade, since boxing was dumped from SABC2 on Friday nights.

SuperSport as a pay-TV sports broadcaster has the rights to show all live and international boxing tournaments on its channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

In addition boxing promotors have been concerned about their earnings in the complex deals structures regarding broadcasting rights.

In 2012 boxing promotor Branco Milenkovic took Boxing South Africa (BSA) and the SABC to court to block them from signing a broadcasting rights deal over who owned the boxing TV rights – BSA or boxing promotors.

The SABC's latest available annual financial report for 2014 also states that Branco Sports Production got an interdict agains the SABC and the BSA from signing an agreement to regulate broadcasting dates. "Branco also issued summons against the SABC claiming R38 million for alleged short payments".

Mbalula: 'We want boxing back on TV'

"It's good to speak to you tonight and not talk about FIFA and talk about another sport," said Fikile Mbalula to the attendees on Friday night which included some boxers, politicians, what's left of the members of the SABC board, SABC executives and boxing promotors.

Fikile Mbalulula several times slammed South Africa's boxing promotors, but refrained from going into too much detail as to the years long backstage fight which crippled the broadcasting of boxing.

"We want boxing back on television. Boxing has created wealth and made millionaires. Those who are going to make money out of boxing going forward should learn from the mistakes from the past," warned Fikile Mbalula, saying "boxing was truly global in South Africa".

"We want fairness.We don't want one-way traffic where the boxer gets nothing and the promotor gobbles up everything," said Fikile Mbalula.

'Those who want to stop us, let them try'

"Fridays will not be the same. You will be able to watch your boxers win titles and defend them," said Fikile Mbalula.

"Those who want to stop us, let them try, we are ready for them. We are unstoppable."

"We're going to walk on top of them like, you know, verosity of a cornered bull. We will trample over them. We will fight for the rights of our people and making the point that boxing is back."

SABC’s Hlaudi: 'We are a big animal'

The SABC's controversial and famously matricless chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng got in a sideswipe to SuperSport, saying the SABC can deliver the big audiences for boxing and that televised boxing on small TV channels don't reach people as effectively.

"SABC we are very happy. For us it is very important as a public broadcaster because it show that we are a big animal. It shows us that you can put boxing in the small broadcasters – they will never reach people. They are not reaching people."

"Those people who are angry they know SABC daily reach more than 27 million. Which is huge. No-one can reach that audience. But also for us it is not about bringing boxing back. It is about spreading boxing to all provinces, not just one province."

"We can't show useless boxers. We need real fighters. That's very important for the SABC," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

Legal issues

"The biggest challenge [with getting boxing back on the SABC] has been the legal issues, wherein which it prohibited us to go back with the SABC to get boxing back on track," said Fikile Mbalula. "Blow by Blow [on SABC2] collapsed. The other issue is about funding. The private sector withdrew."

"Let the promotors put up good bouts and do good boxing and promote good boxers," said Fikile Mbalula. "Wherever they are the SABC must follow them".

Fikile Mbalula said "the people who love boxing and the sport like boxing, will be able to on that platform [SABC] – except if they're affected by loadshedding – they will be able to watch boxing."