One Day Leader back on SABC1 for a 4th season; after 3rd season's scandal contestants may no longer have family members working for the SABC.

One Day Leader will be back on SABC1 for a 4th season with people who can enter now for the youth leadership show run by the SABC Education division.

One Day Leader found its credibility dented and its reputation tarnished last year as viewers wondered exactly what kind of leaders the SABC's One Day Leader show is actually producing.

The third season of One Day Leader became embroiled in a scandal when dishonest contestant Jabulani Sibiya was dumped just before the finale over dishonesty and lying.

The brouhaha followed after the discovery that his sister actually worked for the SABC - as a brand manager for SABC2 - and allegations of possible favouritism.

Now SABC Education and SABC1 have announced that entries for the fourth season of One Day Leader are open.

People who want to enter the 4th season of One Day Leader must be between 18 and 25, be South African, already matriculated (meaning the SABC's own chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng would not be eligible), must be involved in a community project of some kind and have a portfolio of work to show.

Contestants must be able to communicate well in English (since studios debates are in English), must be willing to live in Johannesburg for a period of three months and - to avoid another scandal like the third season - not have any family members working for the SABC.

People can enter and find the entry form at onedayleader.co.za or call 011 326 0276 and the colsing date is 1 November.

EXCLUSIVE. SABC dumping dishonest contestant Jabulani Sibiya from reality show One Day Leader after lying about SABC family ties.

You're reading it here first. 

I can reveal that the SABC is dumping the reality show contestant Jabulani Sibiya from the third season of One Day Leader on SABC1 for being dishonest and lying.

Meanwhile questions have also been raised about alleged possible favouritism by an SABC on-air manager for the contestant - while the contestant's sister also happens to work at the SABC - as a brand manager.

As the third season of One Day Leader approached the finals, concern had been growing about Jabulani Sibiya, with insiders who struggled to understand why he was allowed to be on the SABC show as a contestant if he is the brother of Nomfundo Sibiya, brand manager of SABC2.

Eyebrows were also raised further recently when it appeared as if Jabulani Sibiya was allegedly getting "support" from people like Fortuna Masina - the on-air manager of SABC2 - in for instance tweets.

"This gives him an advantage over other contestants who are just as good," said one insider.

Now the SABC and Mountain Top Productions have decided to dump Jabulani Sibiya from One Day Leader for being dishonest, and for not telling the production company and keeping secret that he had a relative and family ties at the public broadcaster.

TV with Thinus can disclose that the production company Mountain Top Productions had a conversation with Jabulani Sibiya "and he confirmed his relation to Nomfundo Sibaya as his sister," the SABC tells me.

"In the production company's first meeting with the contestants, the production house did ask them if they have family at Mountain Top or at the SABC, and they all said no. So as far as the production knew, he didn't have a relative at the SABC."

"Also there's a clause in the contract that states declaration of relatives which Jabulani Sibiya signed."

"Upon our investigation and receipt of all the facts and documentation on the contract we as SABC1 have taken an executive decision to disqualify the contestant from the competition," the broadcaster tells TV with Thinus.

"This is due to to the above facts and the unfortunate reality of the contestant not being truthful in the required declarations."

Regarding Fortune Masina's tweets the SABC tells me that "upon viewing of the tweets he sent, we have concluded that the twee sent did not in any way give advantage to the contestant as the person in question did not in any way have influence over the judges' decision of the finalists' outcome".

The SABC says it has "dealt with this internally".

Jabulani Sibiya who attended Parktown Boys High School is studying towards a degree in marketing management at the University of Johannesburg and was mayor in 2010 and 2011 of the Johannesburg junior council according to the bio SABC Education issued for the disqualified One Day Leader contestant.

In a Facebook post Jabulani Sibiya wrote that it is "with a broken heart I must still be accountable" and that "this is not the end of me".