Legendary MultiChoice director Nolo Letele retiring after 31 years with the pay-TV group.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice has announced through a statement on the JSE's Stock Exchange News Service (SENS) but not released to the media that its legendary director and a former CEO of the pay-TV company Nolo Letele will be retiring at the end of November 2021.

MultiChoice says that "Nolo Letele will retire as a non-executive director of the board of directors and the social and ethics committee with effect from 1 December 2021".

"Nolo Letele is a chartered engineer from the University of Southampton (UK) and has received several awards during his tenure as MultiChoice South Africa group CEO and subsequently as executive chairperson for MultiChoice South Africa," MultiChoice states.

"The board expresses its deepest gratitude to Nolo Letele for his significant and invaluable contributions to the group over many years and wishes him well in his retirement."

The widely-respected, jovial and very knowledgeable Nolo Letele joined the M-Net group in 1990 and quickly became instrumental in M-Net and MultiChoice's overall operational expansion plans across sub-Saharan Africa.

When MultiChoice launched DStv in 1995 Nolo Letele moved to Ghana to head up the pay-TV group's West African operations as West African general manager and four years later he returned to South Africa when he was appointed as MultiChoice South Africa CEO in 1999.

Nolo Letele served in this position as well as MultiChoice CEO for a decade until 2010 where he oversaw rapid content and consumer technology innovation and expansion for the DStv brand.

Nolo Letele became executive chairperson of the MultiChoice SA board and a non-executive director when MultiChoice was separated from Naspers and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

The massive million rand salaries of MultiChoice bosses revealed as The MultiChoice Group prepares to list and start trading on the JSE from 27 February 2019.

The massive million rand salaries have been revealed of the top executives at The MultiChoice Group as the pay-TV arm of Naspers plans to spin-off and list and trade on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) from 27 February 2019.

Meanwhile, according to Reuters, MultiChoice that will run DStv, GOtv and Showmax in sub-Saharan Africa plans to pay a whopping R2.5 billion ($181 million) inaugural dividend in 2020 after it has been unbundled from Naspers.

As the highest-paid top executive, The MultiChoice Group will pay Imtiaz Patel, executive chairperson, R22.2 million for the financial year ending 31 March 2019 according to the regulatory filing - up from R19.7 million for the financial year ending March 2018.

Imtiaz Patel will receive a basic salary of R7.6 million for the 2019 financial year, slightly down from the R8 million he was paid in 2018, but will get a bonus of another R7.6 million in 2019 - up from R6.4 million in the previous year.

Calvo Mawela, MultiChoice CEO will pocket R7.7 million in 2019 that includes a R3.2 million bonus and basic salary of R3.8-million. He received R9.8 million in 2018.

The MultiChoice executive Nolo Letele will get R8.5 million, consisting of a R4.6 million basic salary and a bonus of R3.4 million - down from R9.3 million in the 2018 financial year.

Tim Jacobs, MultiChoice chief financial officer (CFO), will be paid a total package of R7.9 million with R5.4 million of that consisting out of a bonus and other benefits.

MultiChoice now caught in lies as the Naspers and MultiChoice scandal around its undue influence of South Africa's digital TV migration process keeps growing.

MultiChoice is now caught in lies as Naspers and MultiChoice's scandal keeps growing about its alleged involvement undue influence on the SABC to chance the government's decisions on set-top boxes (STBs) and unencrypted access for digital terrestrial television (DTT).

MultiChoice and Naspers is now being linked to serious allegations of corruption and State Capture through links and exorbitant amounts of money paid to the controversial Gupta family, the disgraced former minister of communications Faith Muthambi, the criticised ANN7 (DStv 405) channel, and the SABC.

MultiChoice has been asked in a media enquiry if it will be doing any investigation, and if any such investigation would be internal or external but MultiChoice has not given any clear answer to the question.

What is becoming clear is more and more apparent lies from MultiChoice.

In shocking new #GuptaLeaks, last week dropped a bombshell email trove, showing how MultiChoice made a dubious R25 million payment to the Guptas for its low-rated, biased and mistake-filled trash channel, in addition to upping the money MultiChoice pays to ANN7 from R50 million to a whopping R141 million per year.

The emails revealed that MultiChoice is paying ANN7 R141.38 million as part of its contract for the channel, a channel that stands accused of fostering racial discord, biased and unbalanced coverage and targeting politicians who are against president Jacob Zuma.

According to a 4th channel amendment agreement signed by Glen Marques in September 2015, MultiChoice upped its payment from R50 million to R100 million to a staggering R141 380 000 per year although ANN7 is the least watched of the three local TV news channels with SABC News and eNCA as rivals.

MultiChoice in response to a media enquiry said that "the fee structure for the ANN7 contract is in line with the costs of developing and running such a channel, and ANN7 is definitely not the highest-paid local news channel on the DStv platform".

"The R25 million fee is also not unusual. In this case, it was a pro rata payment in terms of an amendment agreement."

"The fee structure for the ANN7 contract is in line with the costs of developing and running such a channel, and ANN7 is definitely not the highest-paid local news channel on the DStv platform."

So MultiChoice said paying this massive amount of money is "not unusual" as far as a TV news channel is concerned.

Yesterday the Democratic Alliance (DA) political party's Phumzile Van Damme revealed an explosive transcript of a 6 June 2013 meeting between MultiChoice's then CEO Imtiaz Patel and chairperson Nolo Letele with the SABC board and executives. 

"We would not normally pay for a news channel. Okay. We don't," Imtiaz Patel said in the meeting according to the transcript.

"There is a unique relationship with e.tv… But, besides that we don't pay for any other news channel, anyway, okay. So we wouldn't normally pay you for a news channel."

MultiChoice either lied then, or MultiChoice lied now and it doesn't look good for the pay-TV operator who has so far ignored calls from the public and political parties for an investigation into allegations of collusion, corruption, and undue influence in South Africa's digital TV migration process.

Democratic Alliance reveals explosive transcript of 'clandestine' SABC meeting where then MultiChoice CEO Imtiaz Patel allegedly says DStv would pay SABC to support change to the government's digital TV in favour of MultiChoice.

The Democratic Alliance's member of parliament Phumzile Van Damme has revealed an explosive transcript of what it calls a "clandestine" SABC meeting on 6 June 2013 - suggesting that the pay-TV operator MultiChoice sought to pay the SABC R100 million for its 24-hour SABC News (DStv 404) channel in exchange for the SABC's influence to change South Africa's digital terrestrial TV process in favour of MultiChoice.

Phumzile Van Damme says the minutes form part of hundreds of documents provided by the SABC in December 2016 to the ad hoc committee on the SABC inquiry.

According to the DA, the transcript of the SABC meeting support allegations in media reports last week that MultiChoice paid the controversial Gupta family millions of rand for its highly-criticised ANN7 (DStv 405) channel on DStv, in exchange for similar influence over the government's position on set-top boxes (STBs).

The release of the meeting's transcript awkwardly comes on the day that Naspers, MultiChoice's parent company, is releasing its interim results, with Naspers chairperson Koos Bekker who has not yet come out publicly to announce any possible investigation by Naspers into the flurry of allegations.

MultiChoice is the latest company to be caught up in the messy dealings of the now-notorious Gupta family embroiled in allegations of State Capture in South Africa.

According to the DA political party, the SABC minutes reveal a "clandestine" meeting attended by the former SABC board members and executives, including the nowdisgraced Ellen Tshabalala, the controversial and shamed Hlaudi Motsoeneng, Lulama Mokhobo who quit as SABC CEO, and Jimi Matthews who eventually quit as acting SABC CEO, with the then CEO of MultiChoice, Imtiaz Patel.

Imtiaz Patel is at pains during the meeting to explain that MultiChoice doesn't ordinarily pay TV stations for their news channels to be carried on DStv, but that he would be able to convice the MultiChoice board to pay for the SABC's SABC News channel, if a set of "deal breaker conditions" in MultiChoice's favour were met.

During the meeting Imtiaz Patel tells the SABC:

“We would not normally pay for a news channel. Okay. We don’t. There’s a unique relationship with e.tv that everybody espouses etc. It’s got unique conditions. They’re supposed to supply us with many more channels and it’s quite tricky at this point in time. But, besides that we don’t pay for any other news channel, anyway, Okay.”

Imtiaz Patel goes on to say:

“…we need to justify to our Board to say why would we pay you R100 million a year which is a lot of money. Okay. It’s after tax money. To make R100m net you have to make R150m or R200m, R300m in turnover. We are looking for the excuse and the excuse for us is to be able to justify to our Board that you are giving us something in return. 

What are you giving us in return for the R100m? We’re saying you giving us a news channel, you’re giving us a general entertainment channel from your archives, your old, you know. We are less focused on the core elements of it being new content. And we’ve been sort of quite open about it with Lulama, saying even if it’s old stock. 

And thirdly, we are saying we also need to justify this problem of conditional access [unencrypted set-top boxes] is a big problem. And in order to justify that we’re saying in addition to that, your additional channels will be available on our platform.”

Imtiaz Patel also says:

So, in addition to the R100m in cash, you will be getting a lot of advertising revenue, probably the equivalent, even more, I don’t know, I don’t know the details, I don’t know to what extent, you know, given that kind of base, how much you can monetise it. 

In return, we can justify to our Board that, we are paying this extraordinary sum of money but we are getting something for it. That was the simple logic that we applied in our own minds. So I’m giving you a sense and therefore I’m hoping that if we can co-create a solution, we are also happy to co-create a solution. 

We are not coming here saying this is, you know, this is the be all and end all, you know. But I must say though, Lulama, that this is the very important point for us. It’s a deal breaker point, I’ll be honest. And I have re-iterated it. I have said this to you before. 


The DA in a statement about the meeting's transcript says that "the implications of MultiChoice paying kickbacks in order to not solidify its dominance in the pay-TV sector, but also secure influence over government policy in its favour, are serious".

"It speaks to a company willing to stop at nothing, including paying kickbacks to the Gupta family, thus supporting State Capture, in order to get its way".

The DA in its statement says that "while companies should be allowed the space to conduct business in a free market system, there must be adherence to business ethics and the law."

"This matter, and in particular the payments, now require thorough investigation by the South African broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa). The DA has written to Icasa requesting an investigation," says the party.

"The DA had hoped that following media reports about ANN7 last week, MultiChoice would take the opportunity to play open cards by revealing all."

"It refused to do so. It is now left to Icasa to reveal the truth."

MultiChoice in response to a media enquiry from TVwithThinus seeking comment from the company after the Democratic Alliance meeting and transcript release, says: "“This was not a clandestine meeting. No kickbacks were paid. This was part of a negotiation meeting with the SABC. The final decision on this proposal lay with the SABC board".

The SABC has also been approached for comment about the DA party's statement and the transcript of the SABC meeting, and the public broadcaster's reaction will be added here when received.


Other fascinating titbits from the transcript reveals:

- According to the transcript, Lulama Mokhobo is clearly on such friendly terms that she uses the nickname "Imi" for Imtiaz Patel in the meeting, instead of his full name.

- Nolo Letele, MultiChoice South Africa chairperson, also attended the meeting.

- The then SABC chairperson Ellen Tshabalala tells MultiChoice: "Since you have presented this condition [unencrypted access], if you can just give a day for us to bounce it to the minister of communications, because we have an unclear position on the matter':

- Then MultiChoice CEO Imtiaz Patel reveals that MultiChoice and the SABC previously wanted to do an agreement in terms of Olympic Games broadcast coverage: "'Unfortunately your previous board, its easy to ... we can rubbish them now, they’re gone. But they didn't sign the agreement unfortunately".

- The then SABC CEO Lulama Mokhobo is clearly hungering after the premium type pay-TV channel content for the SABC that is available to DStv's pay-TV subscribers. 

She tells Imtiaz Patel: "It will be good for us to get PBS [public broadcasting system] type content, something like the History Channel, Discovery Channel - those kinds of channels, the ones that really talk to us". 

- Jimi Matthews to MultiChoice deadpans on getting the SABC News channel up and running: "I engage with the bureaucracy of this place [SABC]'.

The then SABC CEO Lulama Mokhobo then responds: "Oh, Jimmy."

- The then SABC chairperson Ellen Tshabalala: "I want to request that we keep this matter confidential" and says: "We know how print media reacts to this kind of thing".

Minute of the Meeting Between the SABC MultiChoice 6 June 2013 by Thinus on Scribd

As calls grow for removal of Guptas' ANN7 TV channel that DStv subscribers say they don't want to pay for, MultiChoice says it has no editorial control over channels' content.

As calls grow for the removal of the TV channel ANN7 (DStv 405) from DStv by thousands of subscribers saying they don't want to be forced to pay for the "Gupta news" channel, MultiChoice in an open letter says that the pay-TV operator doesn't have editorial control over what the Gupta channel shows.

While an an online petition that was started in April  has now grown to over 12 500 signatures and comments asking for ANN7 to be removed from MultiChoice's satellite pay-TV platform DStv - and keeps growing - several other voices have publicly called for MultiChoice to remove ANN7.

A growing number of South Africans - from ordinary DStv subscribers to high-profile names - feels that ANN7 from Infinity Media Networks is sowing divisiveness in South African society and fueling racial tension through slanted commentary, so-called "expert" panelists and its biased coverage of political events.

In a published open letter - that interestingly has some mistakes - Nolo Letele, MultiChoice South Africa's chairperson, makes the claim that MultiChoice "do not have editorial control over the content third-party providers place on their channels, nor do we endorse any particular points of view".

Nolo Letele references some of the TV news channels carried on MultiChoice, making the mistake of saying "CCTV" that changed to CGTN at the end of last year already, "CNN" that's actually CNN International (CNN is America's domestic feed) and even "Russia Today" - a channel that officially changed its name to RT ages ago.

Let wrong DStv channel names in a corporate open letter that should have been checked better before being sent to the media not be used to cast aspersions.

But lets consider this:

MultiChoice's constantly performs content analyses and performance evaluations on basically all of the channels carried on DStv. Under-performing and non-performing third-party channels on DStv are continually told when their content isn't working and what should be changed.

This can be considered a form of editorial control.

The past year and a half several channels on MultiChoice's DStv from E! Entertainment to TLC Entertainment - even recently kids channels ranging from Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network to Disney XD - have seen content across Africa banned and removed in ramped up censorship in countries ranging from Nigeria to Kenya that has a direct impact on all Africans - even South African DStv subscribers.

Something like this doesn't happen in a vacuum, with complaints from broadcasting regulators that go to MultiChoice in these various African countries.

MultiChoice then quickly contacts third-party channels and tell them to remove the offending content, ranging from I Am Cait to The Loud House.

Last month MultiChoice quickly told African countries when more content were removed that "in tandem with our internal quality control measures, we also ensure all third-party suppliers are adequately briefed on country specific regulatory requirements and provisions".

This can be considered a form of editorial control.

Also consider these examples from the controversial MultiChoice SABC contract for the supply of the SABC News (DStv 404) and SABC Encore (DStv 156) channels by the SABC to DStv.

Keep in mind that MultiChoice's contract with ANN7 very likely carries a similar section:

When a channel under-performs, the contract states that MultiChoice and the SABC: "shall meet and agree on how best to improve the viewership."

"The SABC shall be given the opportunity to implement the changes it deems fit to improve the viewership of of SABC News during a period of 30 days from the date of the meeting referred to above."

Elsewhere the contract states that the SABC "shall ensure that each of the channels retains its current quality and character".

How do you possibly improve viewership if you don't make changes to the content? And doesn't an agreement to adhere to a specific "character" at its very core signify editorial changes?

This can be considered a form of editorial control.

And there's this: When MultiChoice extended the reach of SABC News from just South Africa to the rest of Africa, the SABC dropped all other language TV news bulletins from SABC News and made the channel just English.

SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said it was done because DStv subscribers in countries outside South Africa won't understand South Africa's languages. Keep in mind that SABC News is supposed to be for South African viewers - one of the SABC's envisioned DTT channels to serve the South African public.

Yet the (bigger and expanded) platform - in this case MultiChoice's DStv - literally had a direct influence on the editorial side of a TV news channel carried on it, in this case the 10 languages dropped from it.

This can be considered a form of editorial control.

In the letter Nolo Letele says that MultiChoice has "a legally binding agreement with ANN7, which we are legally obliged to abide by."

"We are a responsible corporate citizen and where legal grounds arise that require us to terminate a content agreement, we will certainly do so."

"Customers who do not agree with the editorial content of any channel have the ability - quite independently of us - to reach out to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA. I hope this information is useful."

Interestingly Nolo Letele doesn't - and can't - say that customers who do not agree with the editorial content of any channel have the ability to not pay for it.

Despite complaining with the BCCSA over ANN7, DStv subscribers will still have to pay for ANN7 while enriching the Guptas as evidence of state capture and shocking Pell Pottinger PR practices continue to emerge.

Nolo Letele's open letter feels as if MultiChoice is doing what in psychology is termed "learned helplessness".

Imagine a shop carries a product or service, a hundred thousand customers complain, but the shop says "sorry there is nothing we can do about it". It's absurd.

More than a hundreds thousand DStv subscribers already voiced their strong opposition to ANN7 but MultiChoice seems to say it doesn't have the ability or willingness to act and that there's nothing the pay-TV operator can do about it.

In Nolo Letele's words, the ability - in fact the responsibility - is shifted away from MultiChoice and to the DStv subscriber - to the paying customer - to go and complain to a broadcasting complaints body.

And that is disappointing.


Below is the open letter from MultiChoice's Nolo Letele, published in full:


Deon Wiggett takes MultiChoice to task for carrying the ANN7 news channel on its satellite platform (Dethroning DStv from our lounges might slay ANN7, July 21).

He wants us to consider summarily removing the channel from the platform. Perhaps it will be useful to consider the following.

DStv is a platform that relays many local and international news channels representing a wide spectrum of views (SABC News, eNCA, ANN7, Parliamentary Service, Business Day TV, CNN, Sky News, Russia Today, CCTV, Al Jazeera and others).

We do not have editorial control over the content third-party providers place on their channels, nor do we endorse any particular points of view.

At present we have a legally binding agreement with ANN7, which we are legally obliged to abide by.

We are a responsible corporate citizen and where legal grounds arise that require us to terminate a content agreement, we will certainly do so.

Customers who do not agree with the editorial content of any channel have the ability - quite independently of us - to reach out to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa. I hope this information is useful.

Nolo Letele Executive chairman, MultiChoice SA

M-NET AT 30: M-Net celebrates 30 years as pay-TV broadcaster with special stars and Trevor Noah.

On Thursday night a phalanx of stars – from TV talent and media, to TV executives, politicians and musicians – from across the entire Africa showed up at pay-TV broadcaster M-Net's dazzling 30th birthday celebration.

Toasting with Moët & Chandon champagne as massive surround sound video walls replayed iconic M-Net nostalgia ranging from beloved yesteryear M-Net and SuperSport theme songs to modern day TV magic, guests inside the massive marquee tent at MultiChoice City in Randburg "ooh"-ed and "aah"-ed at three decades of unforgettable television entertainment.

Afropop star Claire Johnston from Mango Groove sang "Special Star" as guests tucked away at everything from smoked salmon trout and nordic shrimp to beef mignon with potatoes, followed by a dessert and cheese emporium.

Following a magical exhibition of M-Net highlights over the past 30 years in the MultiChoice City atrium, guests watched in delight as M-Net, that dug deep into its video vault archive, took attendees on a "remember that?" visual journey of sound and colour through its iconic programming of the past three decades.

Other performers included The Voice SA winner Richard Stirton, former Idols winner, Khaya Mthethwa, and The Voice SA coach Kahn Morbee of The Parlotones.

African songbird Lira, moved the audience with several songs including an emotional In Memorian tribute to all the people who've worked to bring the M-Net magic over the past 30 years and who had passed away as their names flashed across the giant screens.

'The magic is in the stories we tell'

The South African comedian Trevor Noah, now host of Comedy Central's The Daily Show, appeared in a recorded stand-up act throughout the night as a hologram projection and said M-Net didn't stop with just one TV channel when it launched in October 1986 "but thought about the whole African continent".

"M-Net is an African show, this is an African channel and they took it out there. And you've got different magic now – not just Mzansi Magic. You've got Maisha Magic Bongo, Maisha Magic and Africa Magic!"

Trevor Noah said while Americans have and know "ketchup" as tomato sauce, South Africans and Africans know and love DStv Catch Up – MultiChoice’s TV on demand video service.

"We’re going to be watching on our phones, we're going to be watching on our laptops. We don't even know what TV of the future will be. For all we know it's going to be on the inside of our eyes."

"But the most most important thing , and you know this if you're an African," said Trevor Noah, "is that the story will always remain the most important thing – and I'm glad that M-Net invest in the community and are producing the content that people really want to see. TV is merely a platform but the magic is in the stories that we tell."

Ferdinand Rabie, the first winner of Big Brother South Africa, told TVwithThinus that "I just want to thank M-Net who ensured that when I was a high school laaitie that M-Net always ensured that there was something to watch on a Sunday evening when you’re in school res after a wonderful weekend. And thanks for throwing me out there and giving exposure with Big Brother!"

Bob van Dijk, Naspers CEO said M-Net’s "profound success" wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the media and stakeholders without whom “M-Net could have never been what it is today”.

Yolisa Phahle, M-Net CEO said "M-Net is a proudly African company committed to telling the best international and African stories."

"But the company's greatest achievement is the remarkable and diverse group of people who bring this enduring brand to life in so many ways each day. To make real magic you have to believe in it, so thank you to everyone for choosing to believe."

'M-Net has helped to give Africa a different voice'

Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, M-Net's regional director for West Africa, told TVwithThinus "congratulations M-Net, they've achieved a lot in three decades, investing in talent and telling African stories in a unique way".

"Local language is a big thing. My part of M-Net is looking after Africa. A lot in investment has gone into talent and building talent. We've got big shows like Tinsel going into its 10th season. It's a huge investment. M-Net has helped to give Africa a different voice; to help people see Africa in a different light."

"Africa isn't doom and gloom. There's tremendous talent in Africa and M-Net Africa helps to showcase the talent in front of and behind the screen and I’m personally so proud to work for M-Net and to manage the Africa Magic brand."

Lalla Hirayama, the face of M-Net Movies and presenter of Lalla Land said "Happy, happy birthday M-Net! You’re such an incredible force in African television the past three decades. To be part of a brand that’s delivered so much magic to the homes of South Africans is such an honour. God bless you and may we see another 60, 90 years of magic!”

Gideon Khobane, SuperSport CEO told TVwithThinus on Thursday night that “M-Net changed all our lives. When I was young we watched Open Time. Then we got a decoder. Then started working and got DStv. It’s been the pinnacle of entertainment”.

“I’ve worked at SABC and when I was there I said to myself one day I want to work at M-Net. And then I’ve been fortunate enough to work at M-Net. Now I’m at SuperSport and SuperSport was M-Net’s baby. So congratulation and all the best for another 30 years”.

The minister of communication Faith Muthambi said M-Net introduced reality TV with shows like Big Brother, Idols, Survivor SA. “The original channels and shows it created reflects the diversity of languages and tastes of viewers. M-Net has made a huge investment in talent and industry to create this magic.”

Nolo Letele, MultiChoice South Africa chairperson said “[in] 30 years of history M-Net hasn’t rested on their laurels. They continue to find new formats in broadcasting. They broadcast in local languages. And they invest substantially in local productions. May the magic never stop.”

MultiChoice rejects Caxton allegations before Competition Tribunal: 'There's nothing wrong with our relationship with the SABC'.

MultiChoice says it "totally" rejects allegations made by Caxton in an application currently before South Africa's Competition Tribunal that the South Africa's satellite pay-TV platform's commercial deal for the supply of two TV channels with the SABC has led to an unhealthy influence over South Africa's public broadcaster and a decision on set-top box (STB) control.

Earlier this year Caxton, together with Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) and the civil society public broadcasting pressure group SOS Coalition took MultiChoice and the SABC to the Competition Tribunal.

The coalition argues that the contract signed in July 2013 - according to which the SABC is exclusively supplying MultiChoice's DStv with the SABC News (DStv 404) channel since August 2013, as well as the SABC Entertainment channel which will be launched soon in exchange for millions of rand including the digitisation of the SABC's archives - constitutes a "merger" between the Randburg-based company and the SABC.

The coalition alleges that the controversial contract not only gives MultiChoice undue exclusive access to SABC content, but also placed MultiChoice in a position to influence SABC policy.

Legal representation for MultiChoice earlier this month asked MMA to remove from its website the controversial contract, now a public document, which details the specifics of the channels agreement between MultiChoice and the SABC. MMA refused.

Caxton, MMA and the SOS Coalition is arguing that the deal is not in the public interest and that the deal works against the long-term interest of the SABC as well as the South African public.

Besides the supply of the two TV channels to DStv, MultiChoice and the SABC both do not want set-top box control in the STBs which viewers will need to watch TV once the country switches from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT), a process known as digital migration.

The free-to-air broadcaster, e.tv from Sabido, wants set-top box control and is taking the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, to court over it.

"We totally reject the allegations and the misrepresentations they're based on," says Nolo Letele, MultiChoice's executive chairperson in a statement issued this afternoon by MultiChoice regarding Caxton, MMA and the SOS Coalition's legal bid before the Competition Tribunal.

The statement follows an open letter from Nolo Letele published in some newspapers of the Independent Media group yesterday.

"There's simply no basis to suggest that there is anything wrong with our relationship with the SABC."

"The truth is: this is a standard commercial agreement for the supply of two television channels - a news channel (already on DStv) and an entertainment channel (which will be added shortly). We have the same kind of agreement with dozens of other channel suppliers, locally and internationally," says Nolo Letele.

"It is also standard practice to commission and license new channels. So there's no way this can be described as a 'merger' that needs approval by the competition authorities."

"It's also not true to say we've influenced the SABC's position on encryption," says Nolo Letele.

"The SABC has taken different positions on encryption at different times during the digital migration process for reasons unrelated to the agreement with MultiChoice. However, before the agreement with MultiChoice was concluded, the SABC was opposed to encryption".

This past Friday, 17 April, MultiChoice says it "responded to these allegations in an affidavit, which was submitted to the Tribunal".

GALAXY OF STARS: 'Africa's voice at last is beginning to be heard. We're very glad to be able to play a part in success of local TV biz,' says Nolo Letele, MultiChoice SA chairperson.

"We've very, very glad to be able to play a part in contributing to the success of the local television industry," said Nolo Letele, the chairperson of MultiChoice South Africa at M-Net and MultiChoice's Galaxy of Stars celebration event.

M-Net and MultiChoice's Galaxy of Stars was held on Saturday evening at Gallagher Estate, where the Randburg-based South African pay-TV broadcaster and the satellite pay-TV platform running the DStv service, celebrated the billion rands investment they're making into local TV content and growing the local television industry in the country and across the African continent.

Galaxy of Stars as a made-for-TV event will be broadcast on M-Net (DStv 101) and Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) on 9 August.

"The drive to develop South African content is also supported by the department of trade and industry, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF)," said Nolo Letele.

Nolo Letele was addressing the 400 strong audience consisting out of South Africa's top TV talent both on-screen, as well the TV executives and producers working behind the scenes across various of the M-Net supplied TV channels to DStv. Seated in the audience were also government officials, TV guilds and union representatives, as well as TV critics and press.

"We have proved that we can produce some great local stories and some of these have received international recognition," said Nolo Letele, referencing South African films such as Tsotsi and District 9.

"The important thing is that Africa's voice at last is beginning to be heard. Taking our stories to international platforms are good for South Africa and it's good for the rest of the continent as well because we are able to display our diverse environment to the whole world," said Nolo Lete.

"As a result South Africa has now become a very sought-after location for international productions. Growing the local television and film industry means making a significant and ongoing investment in local content."

"Although M-Net always has a number of world class local productions on its channels, the other channels on DStv also make a contribution, for example Food Network there is Siba's Table which was sold internationally, and there's many illuminating documentaries showcasing our content on channels like History channel," said Nolo Letele.

"We've got some incredible talent in this country. Tonight we celebrate the 25 year legacy of the phenomenon that is MultiChoice and M-Net. We can't wait to share the next 25 years with you," said Nolo Letele.

BREAKING. MultiChoice: 'It's a sad day for the MultiChoice family and our nation. The loss of our beloved Tata Madiba will be felt for a very long time.'

Following the death of Nelson Mandela, reaction from MultiChoice.

"It is a sad day for the MultiChoice family and for our nation," says Nolo Letele, MultiChoice's executive chairperson.

"The loss of our beloved Tata Madiba will be felt for a very long time. Tata's contribution to our country has been immeasurable and his teachings will always be a part of us - leading us towards a better future."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mandela family during this sad time. Madiba - you will be sorely missed," says Nolo Letele.

Reaction from M-Net and also reaction from e.tv and eNCA on the passing of Nelson Mandela.

BREAKING. Nolo Letele the new MultiChoice SA executive chairperson; Imtiaz Patel appointed as new group CEO.

MultiChoice just announced major executive level moves that sees Nolo Letele becoming the new executive chairperson of the MultiChoice SA board and the current SuperSport CEO Imtiaz Patel taking over as the new group CEO of MultiChoice SA. Both will take up their new positions on October 1, while Mandla Langa, the current MultiChoice SA chairperson is retiring from the board.

Nolo Letele who joined M-Net in 1990 has more than 20 years broadcasting experience in the pay TV industry and is widely respected in the South African television industry for his pay TV market insight and acumen. Likewise Imtiaz Patel (who joined SuperSport in 2000 and became CEO of SuperSport in March 2005) is widely regarded as intrinsically linked to the broadcasting brand's massive organic expansion throughout sub-Saharan African the past decade as an executive TV force.

BREAKING. SABC board called to appear before parliament on Monday where they're set to dish the dirt; Sentech board also summoned.

Can you feel it? It is here! The entire SABC board has been called to appear before the national assembly's portfolio committee for communications on Monday, August 24 and oh boy . . . are the sparks set to fly on Monday in Cape Town. The SABC board is going to dish the dirt on the hugely disliked SABC board chairman dr Ben Ngubane and the SABC's group CEO Solly Mokoetle!

The SABC board who simply cannot stand the tainted SABC board chairperson after dr Ben Ngubane unilaterally instructed Solly Mokoetle to appoint Phil Molefe as the head of news, are set to spill exactly what has been going on the past three months at the highest executive level of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

After the SABC board - who according to corporate governance are the body legitimately tasked to make an appointment as crucial as the broadcaster's head of news - were secretly and blatantly sidelined by dr Ben Ngubane, all trust and goodwill between the SABC board and the chairperson rapidly evaporated, especially since he - according to sources close to the SABC board ''is desperately trying to legitimize what he's done which is actually illegal''. The acrimonious breakdown between the SABC board and the chairperson has now lead to the resignation of board members such as Barbara Masekela. Also, as I reported earlier today, there's hardly any communication taking place between the majority of the SABC board and dr Ben Ngubane, except for official board meetings where he might be present. 

In Monday's meeting the SABC board will spill the beans on the SABC's turn-around strategy, the severely hampered executive power since dr Ben Ngubane put a spoke in the wheels of the SABC's highest governing body and the unmitigated management and public relations disaster that the SABC has been plunged in through the insipid ''appointment'' of Phil Molefe. The Sentech board has also been called to appear before the committee and will have to answer questions on Tuesday, August 31.

ALSO READ: ''They don't talk to him anymore.'' Massive stand-off between the SABC board and SABC chairperson dr Ben Ngubane.
ALSO READ: SABC board member Barbara Masekela resigns; more resignations set to follow.

BREAKING. MultiChoice not doing porn television.

You're reading it here first.

I can tell you that MultiChoice has made a decision regarding the possibility of adult television channels after recent market research . . . and has decided not to add any pornographic or adult TV channels to the bouquet.

MultiChoice that operates the DStv platform in Africa told me  that ''MultiChoice has no intention of launching adult channels''.

I broke the news that MultiChoice and DStv is looking at the possibility of porn TV channels RIGHT HERE.

MultiChoice says that the market research that the satellite pay TV platform has conducted on the possibility of sex TV channels which could have included hard pornography, soft pornography or a possible combination of that over one or more TV channels, ''indicates that a significant portion of subscribers are against adult channels, while some are indifferent to it and another significant section positive''.

''It was unfortunate that the research conducted was misinterpreted by some people to mean that a decision was made to introduce an adult content channel on our bouquets,'' says Nolo Letele, group CEO of MultiChoice South Africa.

Nolo Letele said the research conducted was done because ''some competitors about to launch in South Africa may or may not include adult channels on their services''.