eNCA 's latest anchor shuffle has Andrew Barnes and Aviwe Mtila fronting primetime

Thinus Ferreira

eMedia's eNCA (DStv 403) has once again changed its anchor line-up with Andrew Barnes and Aviwe Mtila now fronting primetime on the South African TV news channel since 6 October.

e.tv and eNCA didn't give a heads-up to media about the anchor changes or issue a press release but the latest anchor shuffle comes after John Bailey's exit as eNCA managing editor, which also went unannounced.

It's not known who the new eNCA managing editor is and it's unclear why eNCA once again moved news readers to different timeslots.

Since Monday, the SA Morning strand, which is also shown free-to-air on e.tv, on eNCA is now anchored by Masego Rahlaga and Dan Moyane between 06:00 and 09:00.

This is followed by Newslink between 9:00 and 12:00, anchored by Naledi Moleo.

All Angels between 12:00 and 14:00 has Gareth Edwards as anchor, with Jenna-Leigh Bilong as the face of Today in the afternoon block between 14:00 and 17:00.

Andrew Barnes has been moved to the evenings as the new face of eNCA primetime between 17:00 and 20:00 of SA Tonight, followed by Aviwe Mtila as the anchor of Newsnight between 20:00 and 23:00.

UPDATE Monday 13 October 2025:

A tip of the hat to a reader who messaged that Lukhanyo Calata is currently eNCA director of News. 

Norman Munzhelele is eNCA managing director, and Jody Jacobs has returned from the United States to eNCA and is now eNCA broadcast manager. Mmanaledi Mataboge-Mashetla is eNCA news editor and Aakash Bramdeo is currently the eNCA politics editor.

Thanks to the reader who made me aware of these names that appear at the end of eNCA's current affairs shows.

Latest rebrand 'a new era for eNCA,' says managing director as TV news channel want viewers to question more and 'create hope with our new positioning'.

by Thinus Ferreira

Work on the latest eNCA rebranding unveiled today on 1 May started in August 2022 with the latest schedule and programming changes introduced from today which have all been timed for the South African TV news channel's 15th anniversary happening in June.

eNCA launched on MultiChoice's DStv in June 2008 as the eNews Channel with the Hyde Park headquartered channel that has gone through a myriad of anchor, schedule, programming, logo and on-air looks over the past decade and a half. 

On Monday eNCA once again adapted its logo and on-air look, while introducing another schedule shake-up like cancelling its The South African Morning programming block in favour of simulcasting free-to-air sister channel e.tv's The Morning Show.

About the simulcast of The Morning Show, produced by Cheeky Media with Yusuf Stevens as executive producer, John Bailey, eNCA managing editor, on Monday said "that while eNCA will remain true to its business of news and content creation, what we are offering our viewers is really looking at how we can enlighten our viewers, especially in the morning".

"That's why we are bringing our hard-hitting news that we have become known for over all these past years, but also just give you a different sense of let's talk about spirituality that The Morning Show has become so famous for - but also issues around lifestyle".

eNCA logo revamped again

Norman Munzhelele, eNCA managing director, said the planning for yet another eNCA logo revamp started in August 2022.

The latest eNCA logo remains red and blue but delineates the blue "e" from the red and also inverts and flips the blue and white lettering colour and background colour from what they were before.

"We looked at some of the best brands in the world. On 1 June eNCA will be 15 years in existence and we thought we need to find a way of how does the eNCA brand grow organically?"

"eNCA was known for 'No fear, no favour'. We have to question a lot of things. We want to get our audience to do something about what we provide them. We're in the business of content creation which happens to be news. That brand must live amongst us. It's a call to action as to what we should be doing as a company."

He said that the "new positioning is a new era for eNCA, a new era for the viewers of eNCA".

John Bailey said eNCA's new brand positioning is "let's take it to our viewers - let's empower our viewers, also with the type of content we're going to put on-air on eNCA, we are going to give you the questioning part, we want you to think about what we put on air".

"If you have to question those in power - and we are talking a wide range of when we talk about those in power - it's not only politics. It's also to do with the private sector, it's where you live. And even question yourself. And you empower yourself to see how do I make a change and how do I better my own community and myself. So it's a call to action," he said.

"It's to get people to think differently about how they approach life. It cannot just be left to certain industry or certain individuals to make a change. You as an individual, you have to start thinking about how do we start taking South Africa to where we want the country to be. We want to create hope with our new positioning."

ALSO READ: eNCA in May revamp with yet another new logo and schedule changes, Shahan Ramkissoon makes anchor return as channel dumps own show to simulcast e.tv's The Morning Show, will stay live until midnight.

ALSO READ: Faith Mangope joins e.tv's revamped The Morning Show added to eNCA as simulcast programming.

Faith Mangope joins e.tv's revamped The Morning Show added to eNCA as simulcast programming.

by Thinus Ferreira

e.tv once again relaunched The Morning Show on Monday 1 May - which will now be simulcast on eNCA (DStv 403) and that dropped producing its own The South African Morning - adding Faith Mangope as a presenter and Brighton Mhlongo as a sports presenter.

Pay-TV subscribers will now get to see The Morning Show, with Yusuf Stevens as executive producer, on DStv at the same time as the breakfast show is seen on e.tv. 

An additional half-hour of the Cheeky Media produced show is produced for eNCA between 08:30 and 9:00, s part of the South African TV news channel's latest on-air look and scheduling revamp.

e.tv issued no press release about The Morning Show, which launched five years ago in May 2018, undergoing yet another on-air revamp and presenter team change. 

The show coincidentally shares a name with the Apple TV+ drama series set behind the scenes of an American breakfast TV show and which just got renewed for a fourth season.

eNCA cancelled the production of its own The South African Morning which had a bigger focus on news and current affairs, to now substitute it with the more edutainment-centric The Morning Show doing sponsored segments, as it tries to compete with frontrunner Morning Live on SABC2 also simulcast on SABC News (DStv 404), SABC3's Expresso, as well as Newzroom Afrika's (DStv 405) A.M. Report.

Faith Magope and Brighton Mhlongo join the current set of The Morning Show presenters Nelisiwe Mmape, Kgosi Rankhumise, Bolele Polisa and Obakeng Obakeng "OB Knows" Ngobeni.

"It's a bigger and better Morning Show," presenter Kgosi Rankhumise said on Monday morning.

On joining the show Faith Mangope, who woke up at 2:45 this morning, said it's "about working with a team that wants to help you out, want to make you feel welcome - that's what it is. It's about us being a family but a family mindful that it's not about us. It's not about Faith, it's not about Faith's glory, it's about the people - it's about South Africans who really want good quality content." 

About now doing a simulcast with The Morning Show shown free on e.tv and to pay-TV viewers on DStv, Norman Munzhelele, eNCA managing director, on Monday morning said "It's important because we have to serve both worlds".

"We do have our own audience - loyal audience as eNCA - but we are driven by the fact that we have to service the whole audience as a person in terms of giving you diversity and plurality of voices in the morning."

John Bailey, eNCA managing editor, on Monday said "that while eNCA will remain true to its business of news and content creation, what we are offering our viewers is really looking at how we can enlighten our viewers, especially in the morning".

"That's why we are bringing our hard-hitting news that we have become known for over all these past years, but also just give you a different sense of let's talk about spirituality that The Morning Show has become so famous for - but also issues around lifestyle".

ALSO READ: eNCA in May revamp with yet another new logo and schedule changes, Shahan Ramkissoon makes anchor return as channel dumps own show to simulcast e.tv's The Morning Show, will stay live until midnight.

ALSO READ: Latest rebrand 'a new era for eNCA,' says managing director as TV news channel want viewers to question more and 'create hope with our new positioning'.

eNCA in May revamp with yet another new logo and schedule changes, Shahan Ramkissoon makes anchor return as channel dumps own show to simulcast e.tv's The Morning Show, will stay live until midnight.

by Thinus Ferreira 

On Monday eMedia's South African TV news channel eNCA (DStv 403) is poised for yet another rebrand less than 5 years after the last one - with more schedule changes and anchor shifts which will see the channel dump its own morning show output to simulcast's e.tv's The Morning Show, the return of anchor Shahan Ramkissoon and the channel now staying in live programming until midnight.

The Hyde Park-based eNCA had a channel rebrand in July 2018 that was accompanied by a dramatic overhaul to its schedule, programming and anchor line-up. It was followed by another eNCA schedule shake-up in July 2019.

Now eNCA, under John Bailey as managing editor - and feeling the increased heat and competition from rival local TV news channels like Thabile Ngwato and Thokozani Nkosi's Newzroom Afrika (DStv 405) and the public broadcaster's SABC News (DStv 404) - is once again revamping its look, programming structure and content output.

The eNCA logo is changing again from 1 May 2023, sticking with blue and red, but delineating the blue "e" from the red and flipping the blue and white between letter and background colour.

eNCA will no longer produce its own morning show, The South African Morning, with its anchors Tumelo Mothotoane and Gareth Edwards shifted to anchor NewsLink from 09:00 to 12:00. NewsLink which used to end at 11:00 and is now being extended to a 3-hour block.

In the space of The South African Morning, eNCA will now show DStv subscribers a simulcast of e.tv's The Morning Show, meaning that pay-TV viewers and free-to-air viewers will now see the same show on two TV channels.

What eNCA saves in production costs by dropping the in-house production of The South African Morning it used to do from its own studios, it will now use to stay in live broadcast programming until later.

From May eNCA will now broadcast live until midnight, nightly, whereas it used to switch to repeats and rebroadcasts at 22:00.

According to the new eNCA schedule, the All Angels daytime block which ran from 11:00 until 14:00 will now run from 12:00 until 15:00. Today which ran from 14:00 until 17:00 will now start at 15:00 until 18:00. South Africa Tonight which started at 17:00 on eNCA will now start at 18:00.

NewsNight on eNCA which used to start at 20:00 and ended at 22:00, how shifts to start at 21:00 for three hours until midnight.

Shahan Ramkissoon who left eNCA a year ago in May 2022 to work in South Africa's corporate public relations industry is returning to anchor the new eNCA show The Last Word on Thursday and Friday nights at 20:00.

"From 1 May, viewers will see an updated logo and fresh look for the channel," eNCA confirms in a press release. "As part of the refresh, viewers can expect some updates in the daily broadcast schedule," the news channel says.

"Viewers will still see the familiar faces they've grown to rely on, and also some new ones who will join the channel," says eNCA, adding that "The weekend schedule is also being refreshed. Going forward, We the Nation will be shown on Sundays at 20:00. eNCA will also extend its broadcast hours until midnight, every night."

ALSO READ: Faith Mangope joins e.tv's revamped The Morning Show added to eNCA as simulcast programming.

ALSO READ: Latest rebrand 'a new era for eNCA,' says managing director as TV news channel want viewers to question more and 'create hope with our new positioning'.

eNCA and kykNET forced to switch to pre-recorded playout for eNuus for a second time due to technical problems.

by Thinus Ferreira

eNCA and kykNET (DStv 144) were forced to switch to a pre-recorded playout of the Afrikaans eNuus nightly TV news bulletin for a second time due to technical problems on Monday night on DStv's kykNET and kykNET & Kie channels.

Monday night's broadcast of the Afrikaans eNuus, done by eNCA from its Hyde Park headquarters in Johannesburg, wasn't a live broadcast but a pre-recorded monthly episode playout due to technical problems.

It's the second time that eMedia had to resort to the monthly updated pre-recorded eNuus summary filler episode for emergency use for DStv subscribers. 

The previous time when eNCA had to resort to the canned eNuus episode was in June 2020 due to a Covid-19 emergency which meant that anchors and crew were not allowed into the building and studio.

According to John Bailey, eNCA managing editor, kykNET was told that eNuus can't happen live on Monday night as a live edition. Due to the unspecified technical problems, eNuus wasn't broadcast as a wrap-up of Monday's news, with the pre-record shown in the 19:00 timeslot instead.

eNCA records an episode monthly with a general summary of larger news stories which can serve as a filler eNuus episode in case of problems with on-air playout on MultiChoice's kykNET channels.

e.tv News and eNCA reporter Natalie Malgas and cameraman Lance Manjoro robbed in Khayelitsha, camera equipment and phones stolen by 4 men with guns.

by Thinus Ferreira

The e.tv News and eNCA (DStv 403) reporter Natalie Malgas and cameraman Lance Manjoro were attacked, held at gunpoint and robbed in an ambush on Monday while reporting from Khayelitsha in Cape Town.

On social media Natalie Malgas said that she had "survived my scariest day on the job" and that "my cameraman and I were held at gunpoint in Khayelitsha while covering local general elections 2021 stories. We're unhurt and safe now. Be safe in the field colleagues".

Natalie Malgas explained that camera equipment and their phones were stolen in the ambush by 4 guys with two guns. "It all happened so fast," she said.

"We're hopeful that while the South African Police Service conducts its investigation into this matter, arrests will be made soon," says John Bailey, eNCA managing editor.

"It's concerning for us that while we're covering the local government elections and highlighting the plight of communities, our teams are vulnerable in the face of such barbaric criminality."

"While our team is unhurt, they're very traumatised. However, we are providing them with the necessary support."

The South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) says "Other incidents of robbery of journalists have been reported in Cape Town and elsewhere in the country".

"We note that these attacks are now becoming a norm, putting the lives of journalists at risk. We call on law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute these criminals."

"Without journalists focusing on the plight of communities, such stories will go unreported. South Africa is becoming a very dangerous place for journalists and, apart from attacks on the field, journalists also face cyber-bulling and severe attacks on social media platforms."

The horrific incident in which a South African TV news crew got robbed followed after a Newzroom Afrika news team was attacked and robbed and their vehicle broken into while they were reporting live from East London earlier this month.

In July criminals attacked the SABC News (DStv 404) reporter Natasha Phiri and cameraman Gqabi Njokweni in a gunpoint robbery in Alexandra. They were robbed of a live-crossing device, camera, box with cables and broadcast equipment, 2 cellphones and a handbag. 

In April the reporter Monique Mortlock of eNCA (DStv 403) and eNuus on kykNET (DStv 144), along with cameraman Asanda Javu were robbed in Khayelitsha as well as the TV news crew were doing a report and live crossing about the lack of service delivery in the area.

ALSO READ: Another Newzroom Afrika news team attacked and robbed, vehicle broken into, this time while reporting live from East London.

ALSO READ: eNCA and eNuus reporter Monique Mortlock and camera operator Asanda Javu robbed at gunpoint in Khayelitsha, TV news crew struggles to report crime case to South African police after doing a live crossing about lack of service delivery in the area.

BREAKING. eNCA shutting down its Beijing bureau; shunting longtime Asia correspondent John Bailey back to Johannesburg.

You're reading it here first.

I can report that eNCA (DStv 403) is shutting down its Beijing news bureau and shunting its longtime Asia correspondent John Bailey back to Johannesburg.

The shocking Beijing closure forms part of the South African 24-hour TV news channel's ongoing and dramatic international retraction of reporters who were stationed on the ground outside of South Africa's borders.

The baffling Beijing closure ties in to the ongoing and painful shuttering of the Sabido-owned news outfit's offices and news bureaux across the African continent, with the dramatic downsizing which has resulted in retrenchments since April and saw correspondents and on-air talent leave.

While eNCA warned in March that it is leaving Africa because that part of its news service has become unsustainable and that it will cover the rest of the continent with wire news and freelance reporters where big stories warrant it, nothing was said about its other news bureaux like London and Beijing - where the axe is now coming down.

eNCA insiders are scared and upset about the moves caused by budget constraints and fear the "dumbing-down" of the South African 24-hour TV news channel provided to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform and which will celebrate its 7th anniversary next month since it launched in June 2008.

While eNCA's China bureau chief John Bailey is for instance forced to return home, insiders point to eNCA apparently working on a new showbiz programme to be introduced soon to try and lift ratings, presented by Tanya Nefdt and Amy MacIver with Sally Burdett as producer. eNCA has not yet responded to a media enquiry asking about this development.

South African TV news channel rivals already pad their schedules with entertainment shows like ANN7 (DStv 405) with Star Biz and Sizzle and SABC News (DStv 404) with Afro Showbiz News.

In response to a media enquiry eNCA confirms its shutting down its Beijing bureau, saying John Bailey will be returning to South Africa and continue working for eNCA in the Johannesburg office.

"The closing of the Beijing bureau formed part of the reationalisation of the Africa division and will close at the end of June. eNCA will continue to cover China and the region through freelance reporters in the area," says eNCA.