Enver Groenewald Out at SABC After Less Than a Year and Replaced by Tendai Matore as Public Broadcaster's New Ad Sales Boss

by Thinus Ferreira

Enver Groenewald is gone as the SABC's chief commercial officer less than a year after the South African public broadcaster touted his appointment, with Tendai Matore who has been appointed to fill his role as CCO.

The SABC didn't issue any press release to the industry like it did with Enver Groenewald's appointment as CCO.

A source recently alerted TVwithThinus about the "sudden departure" of Enver Groenewald, who apparently quietly left by August, after he started in October 2025, lasting only 10 months. 

Another source, a veteran ad executive working outside of the SABC, confirmed to TVwithThinus that Enver Groenewald is "definitely out" and that Tendai Matore is in. The news is still circulating through South Africa's ad biz.

Tendai is very good," said the source. "He's cool and can get things over the line."

The SABC was asked in a media query on Tuesday for confirmation about Enver Groenewald's exit and Tendai Matore replacing him, as well as why a person with a financial background was given the advertising and TV Licence portfolio.

The SABC didn't respond to the media query.

Tendai Matore is a chartered accountant who served as acting chief financial officer of the SABC in the past. 

Prior to his acting CFO role, the Zimbabwean-born Tendai Matore served as head of finance and management reporting, general manager of financial and management reporting, and was also the head of group financial reporting.

On the SABC website, Tendai Matore is still listed under the SABC board as acting CFO.

SABC2 and SABC3 to remain loss-making as South Africa's public broadcaster wants to position SABC+ as 'flagship platform'

Thinus Ferreira

According to the struggling South African public broadcaster's latest 5-year strategic corporate plan its SABC2 and SABC3 TV channels will remain loss-making, while it plans a pivot to position its streaming service SABC+ as its "flagship platform going forward".

The technically insolvent SABC plans to spend 86% more in 2026 on consultants and legal fees,239% more on market research and 260% more on production expenses.

Meanwhile two of its three main TV channels - SABC2 and SABC3 - will continue to run at a loss, with SABC1 that has to carry the weight of "subsidising" the two loss making channels. 

This is also the reason why the SABC is more hesitant to tamper or change the SABC1 schedule and programming line-up, and more willing to do that with SABC2 and SABC3.

With no further bailouts forthcoming from the South African government, the SABC is looking at other possible resources, including signing a loan with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in 2026 to produce new content.

The interest on this loan, should the SABC sign a deal with the IDC in 2026, will amount to R29 million.

"The biggest challenge that we've got is that really our inability to fund compelling new content," says Nomsa Chabeli, SABC CEO. "Our assets are deteriorating. For example, the SABC has not been able to install new lifts in 55 years."

Nomsa Chabeli says the SABC has been slow in monetising SABC+ as its streaming service but the broadcaster is pivoting to generate more money through SABC Plus.

"We are looking going forward that SABC+ is going to be a standalone business unit in its own right with dedicated resources because to compete in the streaming world, we really need to focus and be more deliberate on how we take this to market and monetise this."

According to her, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime don't just make money from new content, but also by purchasing old programmes from other broadcasters.

"The catalogue is very critical and we are going to ensure that we exploit it not just for ourselves but then be able to license it globally to other streaming services."

The SABC aims to grow SABC+'s registered users to 1.4 million this year, to 2.2 million in 2027 and 3.1 million by 2028. It currently has about 850,000 registered users.

Tendai Matore, SABC acting chief financial officer, says the public broadcaster is planning on an increase of 86% to R127 million in "professional fees" due to a drastic increase in the money spent on consultants, audit fees and legal fees.

According to him, the SABC also plans to increase production expenses by 260% to R29.6 million, with an increase of 208% to R98.9 million in the cost of new media productions.

The SABC's total marketing costs next year will increase by 33% more than the current forecast.

Most of this spending is allocated for the SABC radio division for "awards shows", like this past weekend's 19th Metro FM Music Awards, which is "income-generating" according to the broadcaster.

The SABC is also forging ahead with setting up its own satellite-TV project, similar to MultiChoice's DStv but more aligned with eMedia's Openview where a customer buys a decoder once, with no subscription fee to get access to a set of free TV channels.

Kathutshelo Ramukumba, SABC chairperson, says the broadcaster now wants to work with the likes of MultiChoice, Primedia, as well as Netflix and VIU which are competitors, to "share content".

"We are seeking partnerships with organisations that traditionally would be viewed as competition for the SABC. This includes MultiChoice; also streaming services like VIU, Netflix and all the rest."

SABC CFO Yolande van Biljon quits, replaced by Tendai Matore as public broadcaster's acting finance boss

by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC's chief financial officer (CFO) Yolande van Biljon has quit, will exit at the end of this month while Tendai Matore will serve as acting CFO while the South African public broadcaster looks for a replacement.

The SABC gave no reason for Yolande van Biljon's resignation.

Yolande van Biljon joined the SABC in 2018 for her first 5-year term and will now exit at the end of November 2024.

"Yolande van Biljon who joined the SABC in 2018 for her first 5-year term, has made invaluable contributions to the organisation," the SABC said in a press statement in Friday afternoon.

"As a member of the leadership team, she has greatly contributed to the strengthening of our financial position, culminating in the achievement of an unqualified audit opinion for the first time in 14 years."

The SABC board, management, and staff extend their sincere gratitude to Yolande van Biljon for her contribution to the organisation. While saddened by her departure, the corporation fully respects her decision and wishes her all the best in her future endeavours."

Tendai Matore will now be the SABC's acting CFO. He's a chartered accountant with an MBA in finance from the Durham Business School in the United Kingdom and has been with the SABC since 2017.

The SABC says it is "prioritising the recruitment of a permanent CFO to ensure continuity and alignment with the SABC's 5-year strategy".