Showing posts with label Phathiswa Magopeni. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phathiswa Magopeni. Show all posts

Monday, July 25, 2022

The SABC cans Special Assignment on SABC3 after 24 years with SABC News claiming 'loss of audience' as the cause of its cancellation.


by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC has decided to cancel the public broadcaster's long-running weekly Special Assignment investigative magazine programme on SABC3 after 24 years, blaming low TV ratings, with the last episode which will be next Tuesday night 2 August.

Special Assignment's viewership drop on SABC3 is however not unique, with the whole of SABC3's programming schedule struggling extremely in the South African TV ratings race.

SABC3 is the SABC TV channel suffering the lowest ratings of the public broadcaster's three major TV channels, with SABC3 also being affected the most by the government and Sentech's switch-off of analogue TV signal transmitters in the switch to digital terrestrial television (DTT).

SABC3 and the SABC News division responsible for producing the show, moved Special Assignment across multiple days and timeslots over the last decade, constantly forcing potential audiences to try and find and adjust to new days and timeslots if they wanted to watch the show and often pre-empting episodes for sudden sport coverage and other broadcasts.

Special Assignment's timeslot will be replaced with a shortened version of the longer SABC News (DStv 404) channel's studio-based programme, It's Topical, while SABC News and SABC3 consider the option of a new investigative magazine show for the public broadcaster.

Special Assignment that started in August 1998 has been competing over decades in the investigative television journalism space with e.tv's 3rd Degree hosted by Debora Patta and later Checkpoint with Nkepile Mabuse, as well as Devi fronted by Devi Sankaree Govender also on e.tv and eNCA (DStv 403); and the long-running Carte Blanche on M-Net (DStv 101) from Combined Artistic Productions.

The SABC used the chaotic and disorganised behind-the-scenes drama surrounding the broadcast of an episode of Special Assignment on 14 September 2021 about the towtruck-industry which should still have been held back by the broadcaster following a court interdict, as evidence to get rid of the former SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni, arguing that she was responsible for not preventing the episode from being aired and negligent.

Special Assignment executive producer Busisiwe Ntuli who testified in Phathiswa Magopeni's disciplinary hearing, supported her, saying the mistake of airing the episode was not the news division or Special Assignment's fault but due to an issue with the original and replacement programme codes being similar which is the responsibility of the SABC's video entertainment department.

Phathiswa Magopeni said that the SABC used the Special Assignment issue to "hound" her out of the public broadcaster.

About Special Assignment's abrupt cancellation, Moshoeshoe Monare, SABC News boss, told staff in a letter that the show is now getting axed because Special Assignment "has lost its mojo and signature influence, with the consequential effects being loss of audience". 

It's not clear why the SABC and SABC News which has a public mandate to produce news, current affairs and investigative programming is citing low ratings as a reason for cancellation since the South Africa public broadcaster is compelled to do news and current affairs programming irrespective of the influences of commercial and financial pressure and ratings.

Ndindi Cola, SABC spokesperson, didn't respond to a media query made last week about the canning of Special Assignment and questions around it, including what will be happening to staff who have been working on the show.
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Thursday, April 28, 2022

The SABC appoints Moshoeshoe Monare as the public broadcaster's new SABC News boss.


by Thinus Ferreira

The South African public broadcaster has appointed Moshoeshoe Monare as the new SABC News boss, replacing Phathiswa Magopeni who was fired after an acrimonious breakdown between her, the SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairman Bongumusa Makhathini, who she accused of editorial interference in the newsroom.

After an internal review, which the SABC refused to make public, the broadcaster said that Phathsiwa Magopeni's accusations against Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini over editorial interference were baseless.

Moshoeshoe Monare, currently the managing director of operations and corporate services at Arena Holdings is now taking over as the SABC's group executive for news and current affairs from June 2022.

Moshoeshoe Monare holds a national diploma in journalism from Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), a BA Honours degree and a post-graduate diploma in journalism from the University of Witwatersrand, an LLB from UNISA and completed a management advancement programme from Wits Business School.

With 25 years experience in the media industry Moshoeshoe Monare also served on the boards of organisations including Tiso Blackstar, the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) and Publishers Support Services.

He worked as a reporter for the Pretoria News, The Star and the Sunday Times newspapers, as well as the SABC before occupying senior editorial positions as editor of The Sunday Independent, deputy editor of the Mail & Guardian, group political editor of Independent Newspapers, executive editor of The Star and managing editor of The Sunday Times and The Times. 

He also served as a member of the adjudication panel of the Press Council and is a former deputy chairperson of the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF). 
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Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Fired SABC news boss Phathiswa Magopeni says SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe 'tried to control and silence me' as she again says there was political interference at the public broadcaster, reveals board member asked her to interview president's wife.


by Thinus Ferreira

The fired SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni says there was political interference at the South African public broadcaster into the operations of the SABC News newsroom, that SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe allegedly tried to "control and silence me", and that besides requests from the chairperson and SABC CEO to interview president Cyril Ramaphosa, another SABC board member asked her to interview his wife.

In her latest statement, Phathiswa Magopeni doubles down on her earlier statements that SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC board chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini are allegedly guilty of direct political interference for having asked her to do an interview with ANC and South African president Cyril Ramaphosa before the national municipal elections in South Africa in 2021.

About SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe, Phathiswa Magopeni, says "As I have come to know him, whenever I stood my ground when we had serious disagreements on organisational matters, he would accuse me of abuse, and this was meant to control and silence me".

"But the message he sent me saying, 'It stops here', was the breaking point and a premeditated dismissal by my line manager."

"It was an indication that Madoda Mxakwe would never work with me again. All that followed in that grossly flawed disciplinary process was to effect my dismissal at whatever cost."

She alleges that the SABC CEO and SABC chairperson bullied her.

"They both pressured and bullied me without success into approving the unplanned interview and bypass stipulated editorial processes. The same bullying comes through in their responses to my grievance."

Meanwhile Daily Maverick reports that Phathiswa Magopeni has now also revealed that SABC board member Professor Saths Cooper allegedly told her to interview president Cyril Ramaphosa's wife Dr Tshepo Motsepe.

Phathiswa Magopeni revealed that Professor Saths Cooper allegedly sent her a message on 2 December 2021 that reads: "Change focus, go for wife on a very different kind of feature; use me as reference saying I've been pushing you. She knows me from her 1st year medical school days".

"As women are viewers on 1 &2, it'll be a hit – her life etc."

Professor Saths Cooper denies interfering in the operations of the SABC News newsroom.

Phathiswa Magopeni was also in conflict with the SABC's plan to shut down the SABC News Pretoria office as part of planned cut backs.

"I argued that anyone who understands the significance of a public news service in any country would be able to comprehend that SABC News cannot be without a presence in the capital city."

"This is the seat of government, as well as the base of international representatives. I said it would be unimaginable for the BBC to be without a presence in London."


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Friday, January 28, 2022

BREAKING. In shocking move the South African public broadcaster fires SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni - plus reaction:


by Thinus Ferreira

In a shocking move that's incredibly damaging for what remains of its credibility as a public broadcaster and its struggling news division, the SABC on Friday abruptly fired its SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni.

Scroll down for reaction.

The SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe told Phathiswa Magopeni in a letter on Friday that she has been fired, writing, "The SABC finds that there is a breakdown in the trust relationship between you and the SABC".

The SABC ordered Phathiswa Magopeni to hand in all of the broadcaster's property in her possession no later than 12:00 on 31 January. 

Following her appointment in 2016 as SABC News boss, Phathiswa Magopeni has been instrumental in trying to rebuild the credibility and editorial independence of the SABC's struggling news division with her firing that is not just a massive loss for the broadcaster, but hugely damaging for its image and SABC News brand.

After Phathiswa Magopeni's abrupt axing on Friday, all the SABC News bulletins on SABC radio and SABC TV channels instantly switched to propaganda-style "reporting" about it, with very badly-done, one-sided "reporting" in which SABC radio and television news readers only read out what is actually the SABC press statement, without saying so to readers and viewers.

None of the SABC News so-called "news reports" about Phathiswa Pagopeni's firing included any comments from Phathiswa Magopeni herself although it exists, or any facts about what led to the situation, or that Phathiswa Magopeni had accused the SABC CEO and SABC chairperson of gross political interference into the broadcaster's news division, or any actual facts of what's happening now.

Following a disciplinary hearing in late-2021 that found Phathiswa Magopeni guilty on one charge of misconduct for the failure to stop the broadcasting of an episode of the current affairs programme Special Assignment, the SABC has quietly been trying to get rid of Phathiswa Magopeni by trying to get her to accept a massive financial payout to leave - something she has rejected.

The chairperson of the disciplinary hearing recommended a warning for Phathiswa Magopeni, not that she be fired.

The City Press newspaper reported earlier this month that while Phathiswa Magopeni continued to oversee the SABC News division, she had shunned a massive financial offer to leave the troubled SABC that is once again suffering reputational and credibility damage over its news coverage.

According to sources, SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini were ordered by ANC politicians to get rid of Phathiswa Magopeni.

Phathiswa Magopeni said that Madoda Mxakwe is resolute in "hounding" her out of the public broadcaster and that both Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini called her on 24 October last year and tried to force her to approve and schedule an interview with ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa.

If true, this is a clear transgression of SABC rules against editorial interference by SABC top execs and the SABC board into the operations of the SABC newsroom.

The SABC in a terse statement late on Friday afternoon at 17:22, said that Phathiswa Magopeni "was was afforded an opportunity to submit mitigating factors and to address aggravating factors identified by the SABC, in line with the rule of natural justice and the audi alteram partem principle".

"After several requests for extensions, instead of taking up the opportunity to submit her mitigating factors and distance herself from the remarks in, amongst other things, the heads of argument submitted on her behalf, she elected not to submit her mitigating factors. Thus, she waived her right to do so."

"In the absence of Phathiswa Magopeni’s mitigating factors, the SABC concluded that there is a breakdown in the trust relationship between her and the SABC."

"Consequently, Phathiswa Magopeni’s services have been terminated with immediate effect and she has been informed accordingly."

Gugu Ntuli, SABC spokesperson, didn't say who is the acting SABC News boss in the statement.

Phathiswa Magopeni told the SABC in a letter she wrote earlier this week on 27 January 2022 that "I have been severely prejudiced in the disciplinary hearing process as not only have I been denied the opportunity to provide my mitigating factors to the chairperson for his consideration in relation to sanction, in addition, the SABC intends to consider its own factors in aggravation for purposes of reaching a decision on sanction".

Phathiswa Magopeni told the SABC that she "takes issue with the chairperson's findings and will in due course challenge his findings at the appropriate time and forum".

Exactly as TVwithThinus predicted and noted earlier this year, the completely untenable David vs Goliath battle that has been playing out at the SABC between Phathiswa Magopeni against Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini, meant that either she or they would very likely be getting fired before 2022 was over.

That has now happened.

With the ANC's next national elective conference taking place at the end of this year, the ANC through Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini have been revealed to have applied immense pressure and political interference to get rid of Phathiswa Magopeni.

Reaction:

Media Monitoring Africa
Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) director William Bird in interviews on Newzroom Afrika and SABC News on Friday night said that the firing of Phathiswa Pagopeni is "a very, very sad day for the SABC and for South Africa".

"There are certain people who will obviously be rejoicing at the turn of events. I think it's sad because thanks to Phathiswa Magopeni, the SABC executive team and of course the SABC board that have been able to restore the credibility and independence of the SABC over the last couple of years."

"If you look at where it was in 2016, Phathiswa came in and she has been able to do an incredible job. For her tenure at the SABC to end in this particular manner is really an unfortunate way for things to be going at the SABC."


Bemawu
The Bemawu trade union at the SABC of which Phathiswa Magopeni was not a member, on Friday night said that Bemawu "is utterly shocked by the decision of the SABC to fire her".

Hannes du Buisson, Bemawu president, told SABC News in an interview at 20:20 that "Phathiswa Magopeni is the first person ever in the history at the SABC who got fired because she did not distance herself from heads of argument that were submitted by her lawyer, because that is essentially what she's being fired for".

"Phathiswa Magopeni is not a member of Bemawu but we are concerned about the state of affairs and the way that disciplinary action has been taken against her as an SABC employee, regardless of whether that person is a member or not."


South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) ONE
Sbu Ngalwa, chairperson of the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef), said that the organisation "is extremely disappointed by this SABC decision to terminate the employment of Phathiswa Pagopeni".

He told SABC News in an interview on Friday night that "we had hoped that sanity would prevail and in the end the SABC would follow the direction of the disciplinary hearing which was to give a hearing to Phathiswa Magopeni."

"What muddies the water is that Phathiswa Magopeni has an existing complaint against the SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC board chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini. Given that state of affairs, obviously, you don't expect that the very same people she is complaining against, would give her a fair hearing."

Sbu Ngalwa said "one would have expected, at the very least, that her complaint is heard and adjudicated before you have a decision taken by SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe. In this instance Madoda Mxakwe is pretty much referee and player given the fact that he has a pending complaint against him."

"The optics of Phathiswa Magopeni's dismissal actually do not look good for the SABC and I think it takes the SABC a few steps backwards."

"The SABC comes from the sad era of Hlaudi Motsoeneng who mismanaged the SABC. We know the ratings of the SABC in recent months and years have shown when it took a decision to turn around to be an independent and impartial public broadcaster, the results are there for everyone to see. It is about the work that we have seen for years."


South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) TWO
In an official statement on Saturday morning, Sanef says it condemns the "outrageous decision" to fire Phathiswa Magopeni, that the SABC top management and SABC board are behaving in a questionable manner and that Phathiswa Magopeni "has been treated unfairly by the SABC as they continued to ignore her submissions to their various nefarious intents".

Sanef said Phathiswa Pagopeni's axing as SABC News boss "comes before a panel had adjudicated her very serious grievances against SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini, alleging that they had interfered in the editorial independence of the SABC by forcing her to set up interviews with ANC president, Cyril Ramaphosa, during last year's municipal elections campaign".

"Phathiswa Magopeni confidently contends that her sacking is directly linked to her refusal to take instructions from her bosses."

"This pattern needs to be condemned because it makes a mockery of labour laws and associated processes. It also leads to a mistrust of our public institutions and denies the state broadcaster their constitutionally protected freedom of media."

"An environment where people can be fired following political interference by the ANC-influenced elections campaign leads to self-censorship and restraints journalists and media workers from the freedom they need to do their job."

"Phathiswa Magopeni has been treated unfairly by the SABC as they continued to ignore her submissions to their various nefarious intents, such as calling her to give reasons for mitigation against her dismissal, which she wrote back to, yet they ignored that and released an ill-informed statement regarding her dismissal."

"The SABC management and board, since making the announcement to charge Magopeni, has carried itself in a questionable manner that has not only been disheartening, but has also put a negative dent on the reputation of the public broadcaster."

Sanef says "It's unfortunate that the gains made in recent years since Magopeni assumed the leadership of the news team are now being taken backward, by a management team that wants to see the news division led asunder with clear political influence from the ANC."

"Sanef remains committed to media freedom and believe that the news division of the SABC should continue pushing back against intentional ANC propagandas, in whatever shape or form they take. We will continue to support editors at a key institution such as the SABC, who continue to fight back against any undue editorial interference."

"We are resolute that this outrageous decision by the SABC will be challenged by all endeavouring to see an independent SABC newsroom. The public, the main stakeholder in the institution, envisage to see no political interference at the public broadcaster."


Democratic Alliance (DA) political party
The Democratic Alliance (DA) political party in a statement late on Friday night said "Today's decision to fire SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni does not come as a complete surprise in light of recent worrying signs of efforts to politically capture the SABC".

The DA's member of parliament (MP) Zakhele Mbhele said "today's outcome tells us that the stench of state capture and political interference still lingers in the fabric of our public broadcaster, echoing the Hlaudi Motsoeneng era".

The DA said it would ask for the portfolio committee on communications and digital technologies in parliament to convene for a meeting as soon as possible "to have the SABC board and senior management account to parliament for Phathiswa Magopeni's firing, the severity of which is a patently disproportionate sanction in relation to the findings of her disciplinary process, and points in the wrong direction about the protection of editorial independence at the SABC going forward".


Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) political party
The EFF political party's member of parliament (MP) Mbuyiseni Ndlozi on Friday night said that "the dismissal of Phathiswa Magopeni from SABC must be welcome [sic]. Her mission was to turn SABC into an eNCA lite. She did not appreciate the centrality of SABC's mandate to the entire South African public. At all material times she sought to dwarf it's public mandate. Good riddance!"


Campaign for Free Expression
Anton Harber, executive director of the Campaign for Free Expression, says "The context is that the SABC has in the past few years stabilised itself, asserted its independence and under Phathiswa Magopeni re-established a credibility and trustworthiness of its news product.".

He says her firing "also comes just shortly after she's come under personal attack from key ANC leaders and she has herself complained of editorial interference by SABC management, the people who are firing her".


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Tuesday, January 25, 2022

SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni refuses broadcaster's massive 'golden handshake' payoff to leave, rebuffs massive cash payout bonus to just go away quietly.


by Thinus Ferreira

The South African public broadcaster's news boss Phathiswa Magopeni, who has accused the SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini of gross political editorial interference into SABC News editorial operations, has rebuffed a so-called"golden handshake" payoff to leave and refused to accept a massive cash bonus payout to just leave the troubled SABC quietly.

Following a disciplinary hearing that found Phathiswa Magopeni guilty on one charge of misconduct for the failure to stop the broadcasting of an episode of the current affairs programme Special Assignment, the SABC has quietly been trying to get rid of Phathiswa Magopeni by trying to get her to accept a massive financial payout to leave - something she has rejected.

The City Press newspaper reported that while Phathiswa Magopeni continued to oversee the SABC News division, shunned a massive financial offer to leave the troubled SABC that is once again suffering reputational and credibility damage over its news coverage.

According to sources, SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini were ordered by ANC politicians to get rid of Phathiswa Magopeni.

Phathiswa Magopeni said that Madoda Mxakwe is resolute in "hounding" her out of the public broadcaster and that both Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini called her on 24 October last year and tried to force her to approve and schedule an interview with ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa.

If true, this is a clear transgression of SABC rules against editorial interference by SABC top execs and the SABC board into the operations of the SABC newsroom.

City Press reports that Phathiswa Magopeni has now been "offered a huge amount of cash to walk away from the organisation, but she had refused, saying that accepting it would be tantamount to an admission of guilt".

An insider says "They called her and her lawyers and tabled the offer, which included her salary for the remaining months of her contract, all the bonuses she could have received and a golden handshake for agreeing to leave the SABC quietly, but she rejected them".

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Wednesday, January 19, 2022

22 TV things coming in 2022.


by Thinus Ferreira

The year of 2022 in South African television is gearing up with promises of new content, new corporate moves, new video streamers, dragons, elves, jedi, idols, survivors, Kardashians, returning award shows and festivals; even blood psalms and big brothers - as well as Muvhango and the Teletubbies turning 25. 

Here are 22 things coming and happening in television in 2022:

1. Disney+
From around June this year, The Walt Disney Company plans to launch its Disney+ video streaming service in South Africa as the first country on the African continent to get access to this streamer that started in November 2019. What will it cost? So far we can only guess but it will bundle TV content and films from across Disney, National Geographic, Marvel, Pixar and ABC under the Star tile.


2. SABC streaming
The South African public broadcaster that has been very late out of the blocks said it will launch its own video streaming service in 2022. 
The SABC streaming service - SABC+, SABC Plus, SABSee? - will function a lot like the BBC iPlayer and eMedia's eVOD service, It will bundle current and library content from the public broadcaster, as well as streaming versions of its TV channels, together on one digital streaming service.



3. Lord of the Rings
Get ready to watch the most expensive TV show yet when the 8-episode first season of the as-yet-untitled The Lord of the Rings TV series will debut in September on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service. Filmed in New Zealand, the TV show is set during the so-called Second Age of Middle-earth, thousands of years before the events depicted in the films.



4. Halo
What's up Master Chief? Where South African viewers will be able to watch it or whether they will have to become pirate viewers is still unclear but the first season of 10-episodes of the science fiction TV series based on the hugely popular video game Halo will make its debut in early-2022 on the Paramount+ video streaming service. 
Pablo Schreiber is the supersoldier Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 under the helmet with the series "following an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant".


5. Idols season 18
More noteworthy than the return of the reality singing competition to Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) in the winter of 2022, with nationwide auditions starting on 23 January, are the numerous questions swirling around the veteran series. 
Is [SIC] Entertainment really contemplating bringing back Somizi Mhlongo as a judge after serious allegations of physical abuse levelled against him last year and which have not yet been resolved? Is Unathi Nkayi out as a judge after her image damage of 2021? Will the Idols' ratings continue to slide in 2022 after thousands of DStv subscribers tuned out following the Somizi-scandal?


6. Survivor South Africa season 9
By the time you're reading this, filming is about to start or has started on the 9th season of Survivor South Africa, subtitled "Return of the Outcasts" scheduled for a winter debut on M-Net (DStv 101). Which outcasts from previous seasons will be back and how will they use what they've learnt from their first go-round to try and outwit, outplay and outlast their rivals?


7. 10th Silwerskermfees
Known as "Cannes in Cape Town", kykNET is bringing back its film festival with an in-person event with the 10th Silwerskermfees set to take place in Camps Bay during March 2022. 
The film festival last took place as an in-person event in March 2019 and in 2022 will take the form of a "vibrant hybrid format" according to the organisers. 
According to kykNET the 10th Silwerskermfees "will maintain the festival's signature glitz, glam and prestige while allowing a much broader audience to enjoy the films and festivities".


8. 8th African Magic Viewers' Choice Awards
Last held in March 2020, MultiChoice and M-Net West Africa is bringing back the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCAs) for an 8th edition this year that will again be taking place in Lagos, Nigeria. 
With a total of 33 categories (viewers get to vote for 12) the awards is adding "Best Online Social Content Creator" as a new category this year.


9. Digital terrestrial television
After more than a decade and a half, South Africa is expected to complete its long-delayed switch from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT), although the process could once again end up being delayed even further because of court cases. 
Another big question is what the impact will be on South Africa's TV ratings system when television households who have not switched to digital set-top boxes (STBs) when their analogue TV signals are cut, are wiped from the TAMS viewership? 
While the SABC doesn't want to comment, eMedia that runs e.tv warned last year that there will be disastrous consequences and implored the government to extend the suddenly-rushed deadline of 2022 for switch-off.


10. Love Island Naija
Following the disastrous Love Island SA version, producers Chudor House Productions and ITV Studios Global Entertainment announced at a glittering media event in June that the world's first all-black Love Island edition would start in October 2021 in Nigeria and be shown on MTV Base. 
The date - and year - came and went. 
Is 2022 the year that the 20 Nigerian singles "come together to share the true essence of love, romance, friendship and relationships in 7 exhilarating weeks in the Love Island villa"? 


11. Big Brother Mzansi
A new season of the revived Big Brother Mzansi is set to debut on 23 January on MultiChoice's DStv channel 198 as a 24-hour pop-up channel, together with daily shows and weekly highlights on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161). 
Lawrence Maleka is the host and whether it's the Shower Hour, diary room confessions or late-night hanky-panky, the South African version is set to bring some early-2022 reality show buzz. There will be a 7th season of Big Brother Naija in June 2022, also shown across sub-Saharan Africa again on MultiChoice's DStv.



12. Blood Psalms
After a drawn-out process as the most expensive TV series yet produced in South Africa, Blood Psalms, is supposed to debut in February on MultiChoice's Showmax video streaming service after its October 2021 debut was postponed because of the department of trade, industry and competition's failure to pay Yellowbone Entertainment the millions of rand the producers are due in the country's broken film rebate scheme.


13. Real housewives
2022 will deliver an avalanche of Real Housewives from Africa in the sprawling reality franchise. The Real Housewives of Lagos as a new spin-off series will debut in the first half of 2022 on MultiChoice's Showmax video streaming service. The third season of The Real Housewives of Johannesburg will be shown in April 2022 that will consist out of 14 episodes.
Meanwhile, the second season of The Real Housewives of Durban will also be on Showmax in the second half of 2022, with some new cast members. 
Then there is The Real Housewives of Dubai also coming in 2022 as a new spinoff, and there are rumours that South Africa is also getting The Real Housewives of Cape Town as yet another spinoff series.


14. Obi-Wan Kenobi
This is the show you're looking for. Billed as a "limited series", meaning it's a miniseries telling a complete story, Ewan McGregor will be back in this new 6-episode Star Wars drama series in 2022 to reprise his role as Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi. Hayden Christensen will also show up to reprise his role as Darth Vader.


15. SA rugby and football documentaries
SuperSport is prepping two sports documentaries for 2022. Two Sides is another Springbok documentary, similar to Chasing the Sun, with cameras that once again got unprecedented access inside the Springbok rugby team camp. 
Then there is also the 4-episode Pulse of a Nation: A South African Football Story that will take DStv subscribers inside the world of professional South African football.



16. House of the Dragon
M-Net (DStv 101) has picked up the 10-episode Game of Thrones prequel drama series, House of the Dragon that will debut on an as-yet-unannounced date this year. 
Filmed mostly in the United Kingdom, the prequel series chronicle the fall of the House of Targaryen when dragons still roamed Westeros in bigger numbers before their virtual extinction during the time of Game of Thrones. 
The fantasy series will revolve around the family politics and drama - basically a family civil war - that became known as the legendary "Dance of the Dragons". 
And talking about spinoffs, we'll throw in here as a bonus Vikings: Valhalla, a spinoff from Vikings that will debut on 25 February on Netflix. The new series is set 100 years after the original, following the adventures of some of the most iconic Vikings, like Leif Erikson.


17. The Kardashians
Done and dusted on E! in 2021, the ending of Keeping Up with the Kardashians means that the Kardashian clan is moving to a renamed reality endeavour on Hulu in 2022, with no word yet on where South African viewers will be able to watch their new show - very likely under the Star tile on Disney+ when that streamer launched in South Africa later this year. 
The coterie of Kardashian and Jenner family members will be in The Kardashians, plus Scott Disick. Kylie's baby will presumably make its TV debut, along with all the presumed drama around the Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker engagement and planned wedding.


18. Anatomy of a Scandal
David E. Kelly is behind this upcoming anthology series coming to Netflix this year starring Sienna Miller, Michelle Dockery and Naomi Scott. 
Based on the novel by Sarah Vaughan, viewers can get ready for a depiction of various scandals within Britain's elite class - imagine a Gossip Girl for adults set in the United Kingdom.


19. Muvhango turns 25
It will be a silver celebration for Muvhango in April when the long-running Venda drama series, produced by Word of Mouth Pictures and created by Duma Ndlovu, will mark its 25th birthday on SABC2.
As another 25th TV anniversary, we'll make you feel old Gen Z by telling you that the Teletubbies will turn 25 on 31 March. Happy quarter-life crisis Tinky-Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po!


20. Law & Order
"Dum-Dum". No word yet on where South African viewers will see the revival and reboot of the iconic American procedural series but in 2022 the American criminal system "where the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: The police, who investigate crime, and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders" are back for a 21st season.
Multiple former cast members will be back to reprise their roles like Sam Waterson, Anthony Anderson and S. Epetha Merkerson, with Camryn Manheim joining in a new role. The season will start on 24 February in America.
We'll throw in here as a bonus the return of the comedy series Frasier with Kelsey Grammer sometime this year as well. Coming to Paramount+, there's no word yet on where South African viewers will get to see Frasier, Niles and Daphne again.


21. New brooms
South African television enters 2022 with several new TV bosses, sitting in new seats with new titles. As much as their job is to preserve the status quo of the content collections they manage, they will also want to bring their own stamp to bear on the existing and upcoming content slates under their care.
At MultiChoice, Georginah Machiridza is the pay-TV operator's new head of content, in the position of executive head of content strategy and third-party channels.
MultiChoice promoted Nomsa Philiso as the pay-TV operator's new head of programming. Replacing Nkateko Mabaso, Nomsa Philiso's new title is MultiChoice's executive head: programming.
Meanwhile, MultiChoice appointed Shirley Adonisi as the new M-Net director for local entertainment channels replacing Nomsa Philiso in the role, with Waldimar Pelser who officially becomes the new kykNET boss from February as the M-Net director for Afrikaans channels. What new television will they collective commission in 2022 and what changes will they make?



22. (Another) SABC shake-out
At the struggling public broadcaster, a completely untenable David vs Goliath battle is playing out between the SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni against SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini, whom she both accused of allegedly being guilty of gross ANC political editorial interference.
With the ANC's next national elective conference very likely taking place by the end of this year is highly likely that either Phathiswa Magopeni, or Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini will have exited the SABC.
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Sunday, January 16, 2022

South African public broadcaster and its divided board embarks on new plan to get rid of SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni ordered by ANC politicians - report.


by Thinus Ferreira

The South African public broadcaster -with the SABC board once again divided - has reportedly embarked on a new plan to get rid of its SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni, allegedly ordered by ANC politicians after she alleged that SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini are guilty of gross political editorial interference at the broadcaster.

Following a disciplinary hearing that found Phathiswa Magopeni guilty of misconduct for the failure to stop the broadcasting of an episode of the current affairs programme Special Assignment, the once-again troubled SABC has started on another process to get rid of her, the City Press newspaper reported on Sunday.

According to the newspaper, the SABC demanded that Phathiswa Magopeni submit a "mitigation argument" for the outcome of her disciplinary hearing and is also going after her over her allegation that SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini directly called her to ask her to interview ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa during South Africa's election campaigning period before the municipal elections in 2021.  

According to City Press, the SABC board is divided into two camps, with 5 SABC board members supporting Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini, and the other 5, including deputy SABC board member Mamodupi Mohlala, opposed against firing and getting rid of Phathiswa Magopeni.

The SABC board agreed that the shocking allegations over Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini editorial interference should be investigated, but differ and couldn't agree on the approach.

Meanwhile no-one is being held accountable.

City Press reports that, according to sources, SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini were ordered by ANC politicians to get rid of Phathiswa Magopeni.

"The fact that she filed a grievance against them about interference in the editorial policy added fuel to the fire," a source told City Press newspaper.

"These are the same charges that got former SABC acting COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng fired, and it was the same interference in editorial policy that got parliament to institute a commission of inquiry led by Joe Thloloe to come up with a clear framework on that editorial policy."

Another insider said that there is "a witch-hunt to get rid of her. It's not because she isn't a capable leader. She's being hunted for defending the editorial policy, the newsroom and their independence."


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Thursday, December 23, 2021

SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni found guilty of misconduct as disciplinary hearing chairperson recommends a warning as sanction from SABC board.


by Thinus Ferreira

Advocate Nazir Cassim has found the SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni guilty of misconduct in a disciplinary hearing, and recommended a warning to her as a sanction from the SABC board.

Phathiswa Magopeni was charged with negligence, with bringing the SABC into disrepute and for failing todischarge her fiduciary duties after an episode of Special Assignment was broadcast by SABC3 through its final control centre (FCC).

While the broadcast of the episode of an investigation into tow trucks, was interdicted by the court and not allowed to be aired yet, a coding error and wrong labelling led to the episode of Special Assignment to be shown.

In turn, Phathiswa Magopeni in a 9-page letter, slammed SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini and said that they are trying to "destroy" her after she rebuffed their attempts to get her to approve a sudden interview for South African and ANC political party president Cyril Ramaphosa during the ANC's recent election campaign in Limpopo.

Phathiswa Madoda said Madoda Mxakwe is resolute in "hounding" her out of the public broadcaster and accused both Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini of gross editorial interference into the operations of SABC News.

On Thursday, after a disciplinary hearing of 3 days, Advocate Nazir Cassim in a written verdict found Phathiswa Magopeni guilty of only one of the 3 charges, after the Special Assignment mistake, as the head of SABC News and said that "the programme belonged to her department".

Advocate Nazir Cassim said that Phathiswa Magopeni "demonstrated a lack of understanding of her role in the sphere of accountability and corporate governance".

"The employee's written closing argument as prepared by Ms Carvalho regrettably complicates matters and casts the employee in a bad light".

Advocate Nazir Cassim recommended that the SABC board allows Phathiswa Magopeni to "distance herself from the contents of paragraph 36 as it would be unjust to punish Phathiswa Magopeni for a submission and an opinion of her attorney".

In paragraph 36, Phathiswa Magopeni's attorney writes that "the charges brought against the employee are a farce and done so hastily".

"If, however, Phathiswa Magopeni makes common cause with the view of her attorney, then the SABC board must, in its discretion and decision-making power, adopt a sanction which is consistent with that of a breakdown in the trust relationship between employer and employee."

"In short, it is now upon Phathiswa Magopeni to decide her own future with the SABC."

Advocate Nazir Cassim said any SABC board sanction must be "just and equitable to both employer and employee. This, however, is a decision that rests with the CEO and the Board of the SABC".


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Friday, December 17, 2021

Media allowed to attend SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni's disciplinary hearing today as she accuses public broadcaster's chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini and CEO Madoda Mxakwe of editorial interference.


by Thinus Ferreira

The media will be able to attend the disciplinary hearing of the South African public broadcaster's SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni today who claims that she is being hounded out of the SABC and accused the SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini and SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe of gross editorial interference into the operations of SABC News.

Gugu Ntuli, SABC spokesperson has no comment.

Phathiswa Magopeni has been charged with negligence and of bringing the SABC into disrepute, after which she accused Bongumusa Makhathini and Madoda Mxakwe of editorial interference.

Media are allowed to attend Phathiswa Magopeni's disciplinary hearing starting today, after chairperson of the hearing, Advocate Nazeer Cassim ruled that journalists will be allowed into the disciplinary meeting to report on it.

It follows after lawyers for the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) and the Campaign for Free Expression (CFE) demanded that the disciplinary hearing be opened to the public since the SABC is a public broadcaster, although the SABC wanted to keep the disciplinary hearing's proceedings secret.

 Meanwhile, SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini, who is implicated in the allegations of editorial interference, instead of recusing himself, wants to get rid of another SABC board member, Mary Papayya because she is a member of Sanef.

The Campaign for Free Expression (CFE) says that the media are allowed inside the disciplinary hearing "is an important victory with the hearing of this nature where there is strong public interest should be open".

"The SABC should be fully transparent, so the public can see if there is any validity to the claims that Phathiswa Magopeni is being targeted because she stood up against editorial interference. It is a very important point and hopefully, we will be able to establish the facts because the hearing will be fully open."

Sanef says that "there are charges levelled against Phathiswa Magopeni, for allegedly bringing the SABC into disrepute but at the same time, there are counterclaims from Phathiswa Magopeni which are directed at chairperson of the board and the CEO of the corporation."

"There are allegations of meddling and interference in news operations at SABC. As Sanef that is concerning to us, because we do know that the SABC comes from that history of political manipulation. We would hate to see the corporation go back to those days."


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Sunday, December 12, 2021

Implicated SABC board chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini wants Mary Papayya gone from case over alleged SABC News editorial interference around Cyril Ramaphosa election interview since she's a member of Sanef as news boss Phathiswa Magopeni's disciplinary hearing looms.


by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC board has split after the implicated chairperson of the South African public broadcaster, Bongumusa Makhathini wants SABC board member Mary Papayya removed from a serious grievance over alleged SABC News editorial interference involving president Cyril Ramaphosa because she is a member of the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef).

Meanwhile the disciplinary hearing of the SABC News boss, Phathiswa Magopeni - that the SABC wants to keep secret - is set for this coming week, with Phathiswa Magopeni who is charged with alleged negligence and bringing the SABC into disrepute, who made the serious allegation that Bongumusa Makhathini and SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe are both guilty of political editorial interference of SABC News.

The Sunday Times newspaper on Sunday reported that Bongumusa Makhathini - who himself is implicated in the serious grievance of alleged SABC News editorial interference - wants SABC board member Mary Papayya gone from deliberations over a grievance of allegations of editorial interference since she is a member of Sanef.

Sanef has demanded that the disciplinary hearing of Phathiswa Magopeni, given the seriousness of the charges and her allegations, be open for the media to attend and for the public to see since the SABC is a public broadcaster.

Gugu Ntuli, SABC spokesperson, didn't respond to media queries about Bongumusa Makhathini's demand.

Bongumusa Makhathini, in a letter to SABC deputy board member, Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi, demands that Mary Papayya must remove herself from "any discussions or decision-making" over the allegations of SABC News editorial interference because she is a member of Sanef.

He claims that because Mary Papayya is a member of Sanef and because Sanef has "declared an interest with respect to Phathiswa Magopeni's disciplinary proceedings", Mary Papayya must step aside.

"In this light, it cannot be acceptable that Mary Papayya participates in any further discussions and/or decision-making on a matter in which Sanef has declared a strong, legal interest."

Bongumusa Makhathini wants Mary Papayya gone from SABC board meetings that discuss Phathiswa Magopeni because according to him she won't "act impartially".

"Even if Mary Papayya recuses herself from Sanef meetings when SABC matters are discussed this does not cure the conflict of interest. Mary Papayya sits on the Sanef management committee and the Sanef council, which is that organisation's highest decision-making body."

"Likewise she sits on the SABC board, which is the public broadcaster's highest decision-making body and which will play a role in the outcome of the grievance lodged against me," Bongumusa Makhathini writes.

"It is therefore my respectful submission that Mary Papayya cannot participate in any further discussions and/or decisions on the grievance lodged against me."

"After 4 years of resolutely defending the independence of the SABC as board chairperson, it now seems widely accepted as fact, based on an untested grievance, that I am part of a 'political conspiracy' to interfere with the SABC's editorial independence and charge Phathiswa Magopeni."

"The damage to my reputation has been incalculable and it is therefore crucially important that the process to adjudicate this grievance is fair and impartial."

Phathiswa Magopeni who said she is scared and is being hounded out of the SABC, said that the SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini and SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe are both guilty of direct editorial interference in the operations of SABC News after they asked for SABC News to do an interview with ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa during the election campaigning period before the recent municipal elections.

Phathiswa Magopeni responded after she was slapped with a disciplinary hearing - set for 17 December that looks like it's a SABC witch-hunt - for allegedly bringing the SABC into disrepute and for alleged negligence. 

In her 9-page letter, Phathiswa Magopeni slams SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini for trying to "destroy" her after she rebuffed their attempts to get her to approve a sudden interview for South African and ANC political party president Cyril Ramaphosa during the ANC's recent election campaign in Limpopo.

Phathiswa Madoda says Madoda Mxakwe is resolute in "hounding" her out of the public broadcaster and that both Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini called her on 24 October and tried to force her to approve and schedule an interview with Cyril Ramaphosa - a clear transgression of SABC rules against editorial interference by SABC top execs and the SABC board into the operations of the SABC newsroom.

"The calls I received from Madoda Mxakwe went beyond seeking clarity about why the interview could not be done. He was putting undue pressure on me to co-ordinate that the interview be done, despite this falling outside the news division's editorial processes and being outright interference. I refused."

"He even mentioned having spoken to the minister about the issue, which I found bizarre because this was an editorial matter. I kept explaining why this was wrong and in violation of the prescribed editorial processes," Phathiswa Magopeni writes.

Then suddenly Bongumusa Makhathini called Phathiswa Magopeni although SABC board members are not allowed to do that and are prohibited from editorial interference at SABC News. He asked Phathishwa Magopeni what is happening with the Cyril Ramaphosa interview.

"I said I had done nothing because it would have been an editorial transgression. He went as far as saying the ANC president was in his final leg of the campaign and would be making his way to the SABC afterwards."

"I asked him what he was coming to do as news had no scheduled interview with him, and there was no preparation for such by editors."

"He asked me if the president would have to leave the SABC without doing the interview. I emphatically said from a news point of view, yes, because no editor had knowledge of that interview and it would be a breach of editorial transparency in our newsroom processes."

In May Bongumusa Makhathini also interfered with the operations of SABC News when he also called Phathiswa Magopeni during the succession battle surrounding the Zulu royal family and instructed her that "the other side of the family" should also be given airtime.

Bongumusa Makhathini also sent Phathiswa Magopeni a white envelope with court papers through a security guard that handed her the envelope in the SABC parking area, similar to the modus operandi that a previous SABC chairperson Ben Ngubane employed where he would scream at staffers and hand them documents. 


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