BREAKING. Actors Akhumzi Jezile, Thobani Mseleni and Siyasanga Kobese dead along with 2 others after horrific car crash near Queenstown, police investigating a case of culpable homicide.

The former YO.TV presenter and Tempy Pushas actor, Akhumzi Jezile (29) (pictured), actor Thobani Mseleni, the former Joyous Celebration singer and actress Siyasanga Kobese along with Skhumbuzo Mbuthuma from Urban Brew Studios' IT department and one other person are dead following a horrific car accident on Saturday.

The 5 people died after a head-on collision involving two vehicles near Queenstown in the Eastern Cape on Saturday morning.

According to police spokesperson Captain Namhla Mdleleni, 5 people died in the horrific car accident on the N6 near Queenstown early on Saturday morning.

Captain Namhla Mdleneni told TVwithThinus that a case of culpable homicide has been opened.

So far there's been no statement from the SABC.

Akhumzi Jezile who was also a producer, was also a radio presenter for the SABC radio station Umhlobo Wenene.

Besides appearing as Tsietsi Zwane in the SABC1 comedy-drama series Khululeka Siyavota produced by Penguin Films and his role of Ngulube in SABC1's Tempy Pushas in 2013, he was also a producer on YO.TV's The Big Breakfast show.

Akhumzi Jezile replaced Zuluboy (Mxolisi Majozi) in 2016 as the presenter of the SABC1's music variety show Fan Base.

The actor and musician Thobani Mseleni (30) (pictured left) is best-known for his role as Bhutana in the second season of the SABC1 drama series Intersexions in 2013.

Thobani Mseleni made guest-appearances on shows like the SABC1 soap Generations and Moferefere Lenyalong, as well as in 90 Plein Street, Gold Diggers, Heist, iNkaba, Ring of Lies, Swartwater, Single Guyz and The Queen.

In 2015 he appeared in the role of Bhonyongo in the e.tv drama series Matatiele.

Thobani Mseleni also appeared recently in the role of Babalo in the controversial and award-winning film Inxeba.

The singer and actress Siyasanga Kobese was best known for her role as Siphokazi in the Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) soap opera Zabalaza, and had a minor role in the Mzansi Magic telenovela iNkaba.

Siyasanga Kobese was also a member of the gospel group Joyous Celebration that she joined in 2009.

Siyasanga Kobese did guest stints on SABC1's Generations, appeared in Tempy Pushas and Greed & Desire and most recently was on-screen in 1Magic (DStv 103) in the new telenovela The River in the role of a social worker.

Skhumbuzo Mbuthuma worked at Urban Brew Studios' IT department.

M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel on Saturday night said the channel is saddened by the deaths.

"We at Mzansi Magic are saddened by the news of a tragic accident that took the lives of five people. We express our deepest condolences to their family and friends. We will fondly remember the contribution that Thobani Mseleni and Siyasanga Kobese made to a number of our programmes," Nondumiso Mabece, M-Net's head of publicity for local entertainment channels told TVwithThinus.

Verona Duwarkah, CEO of Urban Brew Studios said "our hearts are broken and the sadness is completely unbearable. On behalf of all of us at Urban Brew Studios I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the families".

Adelaide Joshua-Hill, head of content and platforms at Urban Brew Studios, says "Akhumzi touched the lives of all around him. I had the priviledge of meeting him nine years ago and watched him grow from strength to strength. I watched him take his fame in his stride, taking time to stop and speak to his fans and friends alike. His attention to detail, passion for his craft and dedication to upskilling himself inspired me and those around him."

"He was not just a loyal part of the Urban Brew team but also of building our industry. I cannot express the state this news has left us in. No amount of tears can wash away the pain. Akhumzi will be missed by millions. It’s time for us to strive for brilliance as he would have wanted."

Gugulethu Gregory, head of facilities at Urban Brew Studios says "Skhumbuzo started at Urban Brew Studios as an intern in March 2015. A year later he was appointed as an IT technician. He was passionate, lively, energetic and willing to go beyond the call of duty to ensure success on every production or project he was involved in."

"He was the epitome of someone who lived with joy and laughter.  His presence will be missed by all who had the honour of knowing him."

Itumeleng Nakedi, producer at Urban Brew Studios says "Siya started at YO.TV in July 2016 as NamGcina, an aunt from a faraway Xhosa village. Her role on the show was to make yummy healthy food for growing minds as well as sing and dance."

"She also had a short stint on Zabalaza as well as a number of local dramas, small screen movies and was a Joyous Celebration Alumni. Siya was full of life, she had a good vibe about her and an unforgettable soul. She loved capturing every moment with a snap or selfie. She was passionate about her craft both in front of the camera and behind the camera. A lover of God who will be impossible to forget.  Fly with the angels Siya."


UPDATE: Sunday 29 April 2018 11:00:
SABC1 issued a press statement on Sunday morning with Clara Nzima, SABC1 channel head saying:

"It is with immense shock and deepest sorrow to learn of the untimely passing of Akhumzi. A colleague, an exceptional talent ahead of his time, a friend to many. On behalf of SABC1 and the SABC, we wish to send our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and fans. We have truly lost a gem. May his precious soul rest in peace."

Urban Brew Studios completes its expansive move to Brightwater Commons; future plans include 80-seater cinema, music recording studio and another large TV studio.

Urban Brew Studios has now completed its move to the Brightwater Commons in Randburg, Johannesburg with the new facilities that include office space, high defintion (HD) TV production studios, audio post and music production studios, conference meeting rooms and an events centre.

Urban Brew Studios announced its move in February 2017 and the production company's expansive plans to turn the 10 000 square metres shopping complex into its new production home.

"Future plans include an 80-seater cinema, a commercial music recording studio and one of the largest studios in Africa of 1 000 square metres," says Verona Duwarkah, CEO of Urban Brew Studios. "Urban Brew Studios is well-positioned to produce content of all genres in various formats."

The SABC has so far spend a shocking R22 million on the legal costs of its former COO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, and it may rise further.

The SABC has spent a whopping R22 million and counting on the legal costs of the South African public broadcaster's famously matricless former chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng - more than the R15 million forked out on legal costs by the former president Jacob Zuma.

A reply from the former minister of communications, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane to the Democratic Alliance (DA) political party's member of parliament, Phumzile Van Damme, states that the SABC has paid millions of rand since 2013 in legal fees for Hlaudi Motsoeneng and that it might even increase "as other matters are ongoing".

Some of the legal fees include:
- SABC News anchor Vuyo Mvoko: R1 186 184
- Former SABC TV boss Verona Duwarkah: R505 985
- Helen Suzman Foundation: R1 659 490
- Democratic Alliance: R5 370 828
- Various SABC board matters: R4 990 985

"This R22 million by far exceeds the R15 million taxpayers have had to fork out on former president Jacob Zuma's legal fees," says Phumzile Van Damme.

"Just like the other litigious delinquent, Jacob Zuma, Hlaudi Motsoeneng must pay back this money to the public purse. The public should not have to pay for this one man wrecking ball's legal fees."

"In addition to the R21 million the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is pursuing in Hlaudi Motsoeneng's debt to the SABC, this R22 million must be added, making what he owes R43 million. Every single cent must be recovered from him," says Phumzile Van Damme.

"Hlaudi Motsoeneng left a trial of destruction in his wake. He flouted policy processes, demoralised, victimised and purged staff; brought the SABC's newsroom into disrepute and left the public broadcaster on the brink of collapse."

"The DA calls on the SABC to personally hold Hlaudi Motsoeneng responsible for this excessive amount of money, that can be much better spent on paying off its debts, investing in content development, finding new talent, informing and educating the public, and restoring the SABC's image as a credible and reliable news source," says Phumzile Van Damme.

Former SABC TV boss Verona Duwarkah appointed as new Urban Brew Studios CEO with immediate effect.

The former SABC TV boss Verona Duwarkah has been appointed as Urban Brew Studios CEO with immediate effect.

It's the respected and high-profile South African TV executive's first banner-title job since Veronah Duwarkah's shocking and acrimonious exit from the scandal-ridden South African public broadcaster.

Verona Duwarkah was one of many talented executives who were forced out at the SABC during 2015 and 2016 under the draconian destruction of the corrupt liar and now fired former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

Verona Duwarkah's tenure as the SABC's top TV boss in the position of group executive of the SABC Television division between 2012 and 2016, came to an abrupt end after months of behind-the-scenes executive in-fighting with Hlaudi Motsoeneng who usurped, dismantled and corrupted standard and established TV pitching, commissioning and scheduling protocol and procedures.

In her new role as Urban Brew Studios CEO, effective immediately, Verona Duwarkah takes over from Richard Tsai who has been the acting CEO since the beginning of 2017.

Richard Tsai has been appointed as Urban Brew Studios COO.

During her 26 year career in the media industry, Verona Duwarkah has held various positions at the SABC, including general manager of strategic projects between 2007 and 2012, and has also been a consultant business manager at Cote Ouest.

'We  look forward to Verona sharing her experience, which spans various aspects of the business, including finance, TV channel management, content production management, strategy development, implementation and general and executive management," says Mark Harris, Kagiso Media group CEO.

"We welcome her to the Kagiso Media family and know she will be an asset."

Verona Duwarkah says "I am incredibly excited to take on this challenge as I move on to the next level of my career in an entirely different business environment."

"I look forward to applying my many years of media experience in this business, ensuring that it grows and adapts to a rapidly changing landscape."

Urban Brew Studios lastest TV productions include  Urban Brew Studios' latest productions include #WTF Tumi currently broadcast on SABC3, the recent Tyres & Braaiers that was also on SABC3, The Search E! Host South Africa that was broadcast on MultiChoice's E! Entertainment (DStv 124), SABC1's magazine shows like YOTV, Live AMP, RGB and Break da Beat as well as SABC3's Top Chef South Africa.

NO APRIL FOOL'S JOKE. SABC3 in yet another massive schedule shake-up as the channel's line-up is rejigged for the 3rd time in a year from April.

 In a desperate attempt to lift ratings, stem its ongoing viewership slide and slow its cash drains the SABC will announce yet another very dramatic schedule shake-up for its loss-making SABC3 channel that will come into effect from 1 April.

It’s no SABC April Fool's joke: SABC3's latest upcoming schedule shake-up will be the SABC's third for the struggling and loss-making channel in just a year.

SABC3's shake-up follows sister channel SABC2's latest big schedule change that was introduced in February and that angered a large number of viewers – SABC2's sixth big schedule shake-up since mid-2014.

Just as with currency fluctuations in an economy, public and commercial transport commuter timetables, and even a family's nightly dinner time, stability and predictability over time of a broadcaster's TV schedule – or the lack of it – is a strong indicator and signal to the organisational and systemic health or chaos behind the scenes.

Constant and erratic TV schedule changes – the SABC for instance again disrupted all three of its TV channel's schedules in January for Afcon 2017 coverage – confuse viewers who are creatures of habit and who struggle to find their shows and what they want to watch.

With every major TV schedule change of the SABC, some viewers sample competitor channels and programming, find new favourites, form new habits and never return.

SABC3 saw its ratings tank the past nine months following the SABC’s controversial former chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng's abrupt decree of 80% local content that was haphazardly introduced on the channel since July 2016. The badly implemented move saw viewers flee, viewership fall and then advertisers leaving.

The SABC introduced big schedule changes for SABC3 in April 2016, followed by yet another dramatic schedule shake-up just three months later in July 2016 – with a new SABC3 logo and-on air look.

That was also when Motsoeneng – now still currently employed by the SABC but ordered to stay at home with no job title – wreaked havoc on the cash-strapped SABC3 by abruptly ordering a decree of 80% local content for the SABC's only commercial TV channel.

Not a single one of the new and mostly badly produced local shows introduced on SABC3 since July 2016, except for a new season of Neill Anthony Private Chef, managed to lure enough viewers to crack SABC3's most watched month-on-month ratings list.

With disastrous AR's (audience ratings) in prime time for the batch of new content, the SABC still had to splash the cash to produce the ratings-failed content that viewers flipped the switch on.

The new SABC3 schedule shake-up is the first under SABC TV boss, Nomsa Philiso. 

She was appointed as the SABC's new head of television in August 2016 to replace the veteran Verona Duwarkah who was abruptly fired for refusing Hlaudi Motsoeneng's allegedly irregular content orders and dubious production contracts and reportedly accused him of of harassment and gross mismanagement.

There's growing buzz that the SABC could perhaps be shuttering the beleaguered SABC3 before the end of the year, while insiders are wondering how the SABC wants to programme and run its promised five additional new TV channels for digital terrestrial television (DTT) if it is struggling to keep the three existing channels on the air and just three schedule line-ups filled that's already stuffed with repeats.

Zandile Nkonyeni, SABC TV publicist, was asked about talk that SABC3 might be shutting down, what the situation is around SABC3's future, and what assurance there is from the SABC to viewers about the channel, but she didn't respond. 

Major programming moves

Now the SABC is again tinkering with SABC3's schedule in another big shake-up.

According to insiders, SABC3 will announce that it is switching a large number of its shows' timeslots with viewers who will once again have to adjust their viewing patterns.

SABC3 will introduce yet another new swathe of local content – some with dubious public broadcasting value – as it also gets ready to dump late night and overnight repeats to cut back on rebroadcast fees, cancels long-running programming like Interface and even moves its news bulletin, The Bold and the Beautiful, Top Billing, Special Assignment and other shows yet again to new times and days.

Zandile Nkonyeni was asked why SABC3 is doing yet another big schedule change again and what prompted the latest shake-up. She failed to comment.

SABC3's latest schedule do-over stretches from the very early morning to late night.

SABC3 will cut its breakfast show Expresso back by half an hour, with the morning show that will move from 06:00 to a new starting time of 6:30 in mid-April. SABC3 is also slowly moving the beloved American soap Days of Our Lives back from its midnight banishment to an earlier timeslot.

Here’s what’s happening on SABC3 from April

Major coming SABC3 changes from April include:

 ■ Expresso is being reduced again, back to two and a half hours, after its timeslot was increased in July 2016 to three hours. From Monday 17 April Expresso is set to start half an hour later at 6:30 to make space for a half hour of kids programming at 6:00 on weekdays.

■ The existing line-up of SABC3's 09:00 hour of repeats is dumped for repeats on weekdays of Real Talk with Anele from Monday 3 April.

■ After taking away the Venda-language soap Muvhango repeat on SABC3 in July 2016, it is suddenly back – at 11:30 on weekdays.

■ The weekday chatter, Afternoon Express that was moved from 16:00 to 17:00 in July 2016 as part of a failed experiment, will move back to 16:00 from Monday 3 April.

■ Real Talk with Anele gets upgraded and moves from 16:00 to 17:00. Basically Afternoon Express and Real Talk with Anele are switching timeslots, with SABC3 now believing that Real Talk – that constantly attracts more buzz – has more potential to lure a bigger actual audience.

■ The SABC is once again moving the public broadcaster's flagship daily TV news bulletin on SABC3 that's been hammered in the ratings and that shed tens of thousands of viewers over the past few months.

The news at 18:30 on SABC3 is once again becoming News @ 6 from April – a simulcast of the news done on DStv's SABC News (DStv 404) channel with anchors Peter Ndoro and Francis Herd.

■ That knock-on effect means that the American soap The Bold and the Beautiful is also once again shifting timeslots – from 18:00 to 18:30 on weekdays on SABC3 from Monday 3 April.

■ The hugely popular The Bold and the Beautiful, perennially the most watched show on SABC3, will now serve as the lead-in for the struggling local soap Isidingo that stays put at 19:00. SABC3 hopes that Bold’s buoyant viewership will filter through to the Endemol Shine Africa produced Isidingo.

■ The local talker Trending South Africa that started in daytime on SABC3, switched to night time and then got a 12:00 weekday repeat, is getting cut down from five days to four episodes per week, losing the Friday episode.

Trending SA will also no longer get any daytime repeat on SABC3 from April but will see its broadcast timeslot move half an hour earlier from 22:00 to 21:30.

■ From Thursday 6 April Top Billing sees yet another timeslot change in the glam magazine show long broadcast history – moving from 20:00 to 20:30.

■ SABC3's investigative magazine show Special Assignment is once again moving in April – this time from Wednesdays at 21:30 to Mondays at 21:00.

■ SABC3's long running Sunday night current affairs interview show Interface at 21:30 is apparently abruptly getting axed. Interface's last episode will be on Sunday 2 April, thereafter replaced by a celebrity-driven type profile show entitled Celebuville in the same timeslot from Sunday 8 April.

  

Flurry of unknown new local content

Instead of phasing individual new shows in over time to help them gain viewer recognition and support, SABC3 is unleasing a next new wave of unknown local content from April as part of the latest schedule shake-up.

This programming will all compete at the same time for viewers' attention, battling each other to stand out in a crowded nightly 19:30 to 21:30 timeslot.

The previously announced channel switch from SABC1 to SABC3 of Clover's latest season of the advertiser-funded production (AFP), Tropika Island of Treasure Seychelles will start on SABC3 on Monday 27 March at 19:30.

While TVwithThinus saw it already and this show's production values look much improved, the same can't be said for new and unknown SABC3 shows like the female presented car maintenance and driving test show Driving in Heels starting Tuesday 4 April at 21:00, Hostess with Lorna Maseko starting Tuesday 4 April at 20:30, and the food competition reality show Dinner Date set to start on Wednesday 5 April at 19:30.

After several pushbacks the delayed Uyanda It’s On that was originally scheduled for 2016 is finally set to start on SABC3 on Wednesday 5 April at 21:00. 

The reality show follows the former SABC1 publicist and socialite Uyanda Mbuli and her various worldwide luxury indulgences captured on video for public broadcasting consuption.

Friday 7 April will finally see the start of the new SABC3 half hour sitcom Soap on a Rope at 19:30 that was also originally supposed to start in August 2016 on the channel. The comedy stars Luthuli Dlamini, Melanie du Bois, Alfred Ntombela and Sonia Sedibe and is set on a fictitious TV show's set.

Publicist Zandile Nkonyeni was asked why SABC3 is introducing another batch of new local programming in a burst and what the programming strategy is behind the move but she failed to respond.

Late night changes

Days of Our Lives on SABC3 is moving from midnight to an earlier timeslot of 22:30 from 3 April.

The late night Isidingo and The Bold and the Beautiful repeats are both dumped in favour of the German TV news service Deutsche Welle that will now start at 23:30 and run until 02:00 in the morning.

From 02:00 the SABC’s feed of the SABC News channel on DStv will be simulcast overnight with the repeat of American TV series that used to be at 03:30 that's all getting axed in the latest shake-up.

Fired head of TV Verona Duwarkah on how fighting SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng caused her 'severe stress' as she was 'emotionally, physically and mentally devastated'.

The shocking labour court case between the SABC and its former head of TV Verona Duwarkah who was fired and replaced in July this year after a massive falling out with the controversial SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng, not only lifts the lid on how he traumatised her, but also how SABC TV viewership is plunging and how Hlaudi Motsoeneng usurped and is allegedly flouting content commissioning policy.

Meanwhile TV channels like SABC2 and SABC3 are floundering under the devastating new content commissioning regime Hlaudi Motsoeneng implemented earlier this year after sidelining Verona Duwarkah and which also led to her leaving the SABC.

The City Press and Sunday Times newspapers on Sunday both reveals details from Verona Duwarkah's shocking labour court case with the South African public broadcaster.

Verona Duwarkah was kicked out the door by the SABC after fighting and being traumatised by Hlaudi Motsoeneng as chief operating officer (COO) - who is now the head of SABC's corporate affairs but remains in his same opulent 27th floor office.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng who in 2016 several times mentioned that the SABC has set aside a budget of R600 million to produce new TV content, has set up a "Special Projects" unit to essentially "take over" commissioning of new programming.

This new process especially favours new and inexperienced producers including TV stars with bad TV ideas now wanting to make television. Verona Duwarka fought against this, warning that Hlaudi Motsoeneng is flouting due diligence and processes and policy.

This Special Projects team at the SABC, according to City Press, is led by Jacqui Hlongwane, the SABC's SABC2 programming executive, and Danie Swart, the head of the SABC Education division.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng and the roped in SABC executives allegedly flouted not just the SABC's own commissioning policies but also that of South Africa's broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa).

In the shocking court case that she won in September, Verona Duwarkah - who had been at the SABC for 25 years before she was forced out - details her "severe stress" caused by constantly fighting with Hlaudi Motsoeneng behind the scenes.

After winning her court case against the SABC and Hlaudi Motsoeneng, Verona Duwarkah returned to the SABC in September, but after less than a week back at work got a termination of employment payout in the form of a golden handshade and left.

In the court papers, Verona Duwarkah revealed the fighting with the controversial SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng caused her to be "emotionally, physically and mentally devastated".

The SABC, through Mohlolo Lephaka as the SABC's head of human resources, in a responding affadavit, accused Verona Duwarkah of making "malicious" claims" and of taking too much sick leave and even wondering on court papers of "whether depression prevents one from working".

The SABC accused her of non-performance by not commissioning new TV shows quickly enough.

The SABC further slammed Verona Duwarkah in the court papers, saying her claims are "irrelevant, untrue, unfounded and unsubstantiated personal attacks" on Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

Verona Duwarkah said "The final straw came when instructions were given to me by Hlaudi Motsoeneng that I had to execute and implement material changes in policy, despite the fact that these were not approved in accordance with the operating standards."

Verona Duwarkah reveals in the court papers how the SABC's Hlaudi Motsoeneng utterly humiliated her in front of other TV executives and how she repeatedly warned him to stop meddling in everything since it's causing dramatic revenue losses for the SABC as well as audience erosion.

The Sunday Times details Verona Duwarkah's revelations of how the famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng wasted millions of rands at the SABC.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng ordered the broadcasting of sport events that doesn't have viewers, ordered her to dish out TV contracts of millions of rands to people whose bad ideas had been rejected, and ordered presenter line-up changes at awards shows broadcast by the SABC like The Metro FM Awards in January and The South African Music Awards in June at "vast additional costs".

"Hlaudi Motsoeneng hand-picked a select few producers and instructed me to ensure they were given contracts, even though some of their proposals had previously been rejected by the content team," says Verona Duwarkah in the labour court case papers.

Verona Duwarkah in court papers said Hlaudi Motsoeneng "started acting more erratic as time went on".

Despite the SABC's falling revenue and sagging viewership, Hlaudi Motsoeneng has been adamant to splurge on new content to boost local programming to 90% for the SABC's TV stations, starting with SABC3 at 80% where all of the newly rushed-to-air shows have been total rating flops and dragged SABC3 revenue and ratings down even further.

Meanwhile, out of the Request for Proposals (the so-called RFP book) that the SABC used to issue to producers detailing what content the SABC wants made for broadcast and which Hlaudi Motsoeneng did away with, it's revealed that the SABC only commissioned a paltry 57 of 1 426 proposals the public broadcaster got from the South African TV industry.

Meanwhile the SABC apparently has no current commissioning policy on its website for producers.

The SABC's acting chief operating officer (COO) Bessie Tugwana who've been shuffled into several positions this year, told City Press in another report about SABC2 and SABC3's shocking ongoing viewership losses that the channels had been sliding for years.

The SABC's water is cholera free and its hair salon is popular with e.tv staffers: The fascinating - and sometimes funny - details from the SABC's latest annual report.

The only light coming from the SABC's latest 2015/16 financial report and its R411 million loss is that it's safely disposing of its flourescent lights that contain hazardous chemicals and mercury vapor.

That's little comfort to SABC staff and the public who are recoiling at its latest set of dismal results that saw the SABC's financial position worsen further, posting it's 6th consecutive qualified audit with another growing loss as its cash balance plunged precipitously below the R1 billion mark to R881 million.

While the SABC's financial report describes its controversial executive Hlaudi Motsoeneng as someone who has been "proven to be a leader of note", the reality is that Hlaudi Motsoeneng – whose salary ballooned further from R3.7 to R4.19 million – oversaw a period in which the SABC slid further back as the beleaguered SABC continues to lurch from crisis tot crisis.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng is now the best-paid single individual at the SABC.

The now-fired head of TV Verona Duwarkah pocketed R2.69 million, and the now-axed CEO Frans Matlala got R3.6 million for 9 months. 

The SABC report only states that he was placed on suspension and doesn't say why. James Aguma, chief financial officer, and now acting CEO, earned R3.62 million.

SABC chairperson Obert Maguvhe pocketed R637 000 – more than the R537 000 the disgraced former chairperson Ellen Tshabalala got in the previous financial year.

SABC audience share falls again, down to 48.8%

While the SABC's TV channels SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 attract audiences of 28.8 million, 26.9 million and 21 million viewers per week, the reality is that the SABC's average audience share fell yet again to 48.8%.

That's down from 57% in 2011/2012 and 53% in 2012/2013.

The SABC admits that it missed its target of 52% and blames "increased competition and changing audience content consumption patterns" for its falling share.

In radio the SABC radio stations managed an adult (listeners older than 15) audience share of only 69.9%, meaning that almost a third of people who can listen to one of the SABC’s radio stations don't want to.

The financial report interestingly doesn't cover the latest period during which Hlaudi Motsoeneng haphazardly introduced a 90% quota for local music needletime on its radio stations and a barrage of failed local TV content that saw viewers flee. 

This will still  negatively impact on both TV audience share and advertising income, the impact of which will only become evident in the 2016/2017 financials.

In the latest report, the SABC admits further that its "SABC online websites did not fare as expected and delivered an 11% year-on-year growth rate in page views" far below the 15% target and blames social media like Facebook and Twitter.

The auditor-general (AG) slammed the SABC for not having "adequate document management systems in place to identify irregular expenditure" and that the SABC "incurred expenditure in vain, which could have been avoided had reasonable care been exercised that were not included in fruitless and wasteful expenditure".

The SABC admits that "high levels of fee payment evasion by SABC licence holders" continues. As the SABC continues to spend millions to try and gather SABC TV licence income, the income from SABC TV licence collection fees continue to go down.

While the SABC struggles and blames expensive international sports rights, having to cover events of national importance it apparently can't budget for, and investments in technology to switch out analogue equipment for the loss, its already indicated that it plans to create and broadcast even more TV and radio channels in future while its having problems scheduling content on its existing channels that attract audiences.

A 1 001 direct complaints

The SABC's latest 143 page financial report is once again filled with interesting, and some unintentionally funny, nuggets.

The first factual lies occurs on page 11 where the SABC says its SABC News channel on MultiChoice's DStv channel 404 "broadcasts mainly in English,with African-language bulletins provided during the evening slots". 

The fact is the SABC canned all the bulletins in vernacular languages in this channel during the reporting period.

The SABC reports that when it conducted evacuation drills at its Auckland Park headquarters, "no injuries or fatalities were reported".

While the SABC says in its report that the tap water in buildings was tested monthly and found "algae and cholera free", it bisarrely pays Freshy Water to supply the SABC with "premium-quality drinking water".

Actress Michelle Botes left the SABC3 soap Isidingo in 2014 but the SABC still includes a publicity image of her character Cherel in its financial report with Barker Haines.

The SABC touts its SABC Beauty Salon, popular under "the production crew of Generations and Ashes to Ashes" (an e.tv drama).

The SABC got 1 001 direct complaints, mostly related to SABC TV licences and people angry over SABC scheduling.

The SABC did "noise, air and light surveys". It is addressing waste management and is addressing the removal of "hazardous chemicals, which for the SABC, is flourescent tubes which contain mercury vapor".

Viewership plunge for SABC shows after local content move in July; SABC2's 7de Laan sheds hundreds of thousands as new SABC3 local shows collapse.

The SABC has been hit by a viewership plunge for several shows following abrupt local TV content moves, with the popular weekday soap 7de Laan on SABC2 for instance shedding hundreds of thousands of viewers and SABC3 confronting a schedule disaster with every single one of its new local shows started in July that's a ratings flop.

Just a few months after it announced changes to its TV schedules in February, the SABC in July once again upended its TV channels' schedules in a month that also saw the abrupt firing of Verona Duwarkah as the SABC's head of television who was replaced with Nomsa Philiso.

The SABC's TV schedules rejig from July was a result of the public broadcaster's controversial and famously matricless chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng who ordered a drastic cut-back to international TV content as part of his plan for 90% local content on the SABC's TV channels, starting with 80% local programming on SABC3 from July.

In July ad agency executives warned the SABC that the public broadcaster is going to experience huge losses in terms of advertising revenue if the sudden new slate of programmes doesn't manage to lure viewers and get ratings.

With 7de Laan moved later to 19:00 on SABC2 as part of the changes, the popular Afrikaans weekday soap shed a shocking 269 527 viewers from June to July to plunge from 5th place on SABC2 in June to a shocking 9th place on SABC2's ratings with 1.81 million viewers (5.4 AR / 15.4 share).

On SABC3 where the schedule underwent a massive change with a flurry of new local shows rushed to production, not a single one got enough viewers to rate anywhere close to the top 20 most watched programmes on SABC3 during July.


The Bold remains beautiful
Ironically it was again the American soaps, The Bold and the Beautiful and Days of Our Lives that Hlaudi Motsoeneng wants to get rid of, that did the bulk of the lifting to lure viewers to SABC3.

On SABC1, the local primetime soap Generations The Legacy pulled ahead marginally ahead of Uzalo for the second time since May, grabbing 8.3 million viewers (24.7 AR / 68.7 share) in July, compared to Uzalo's 8.1 million (24.3 AR / 64.3 share).

The SABC1 schedule is the one the SABC needs to be least worried about, with a stable performance from reliable locally produced programmes bringing in strong ratings.

On SABC2 in July its top-rated show, the Venda weekday soap Muvhango was down to 5.7 million to June's 5.8 million.

Besides the plunging 7de Laan, the Afrikaans news on SABC2 fell to 14th place (1.43 million) from 12th (1.47 million) in June in its changed timeslot. SABC2's Sotho news bulletin also shed viewers from 1.69 million in June to 1.36 million in July.

Local SABC2 shows Thola, Skwizas, It's Gospel Time, Keletso, the live Lotto draw, Speak Out all saw marginal viewership upticks, but the Mmampodi and Fokus viewership were lower compared to the previous month.


Viewers love Leon Schuster, Idols
On e.tv the ratings for both its cornerstone soaps Scandal! and Rhythm City were marginally lower in July (4.8 million and 3.5 million).

Meanwhile Leon Schuster came to e.tv's aid as the hidden camera prankster scored the 1st, 3rd, and 4th most watched places on e.tv's top 20 list for July with Mr Bones (5.1 mil), Mama Jack (4.3 mil) and Mr Bones 2: Back from the Past (4.1 mil) luring in millions of viewers.

The e.tv decision to cancel its local telenovela Ashes to Ashes was a right move: its viewership took a whopping dive from June to July from 3.2 million viewers to 2.5 million. WWE Wrestling Raw and Zbondiwe remained steady.

Meanwhile the Broadcasting Research Council of South Africa (BRC) that has massively curtailed the South African public's access to TV viewership figures the past year has decided to further redact and marginalise the information.

From this month the BRC suddenly only makes available a combined top 30 programme list to the public for MultiChoice's DStv for the month of July, instead of for a selection of individual DStv channels like it did monthly since earlier this year.

In July the 12th season of veteran reality signing contest show Idols, now just on the Mzansi Magic channel roared back as a hit with 1.12 million viewers.

Uefa Euro 2016 and Vodacom Super Rugby on the SuperSport channels and Tom & Jerry Tales on Turner Broadcasting's Boomerang were some of the top viewership drawa on DStv during July.

Meanwhile Mzansi Magic's Our Perfect Wedding, Igazi, Isibaya, Rockville, Date My Family, Doubt, Isikizi, Ring of Lies and Greed & Desire dominating the ratings and most-watched list on DStv.

SABC staff in 'grave concern and shock' over latest top executive appointments that 'smack of favouritism', wasn't advertised and is unprocedural.

SABC staff are in "grave concern and shock" over the latest reshuffling of top executives at the beleaguered South African public broadcaster and a string of sudden top level appointments that wasn't advertised and that staffers say "smack of favouritism" and is completely unprocedural.

Simon Tebele has suddenly been appointed as the SABC's new head of news and current affairs, with Tsheliso Ralitabo as the new head of media technology infrastructure.

Kevin Green, the national sales manager for TV sales is now the new general manager for TV sales (a position previous held by Tshifhiwa Mulaudzi).

Meanwhile Bessie Tugwana who headed up the SABC Sport division is swopping places with Sully Motsweni who headed up corporate affairs. 

Bessie Tugwana is suddenly in charge of corporate affairs while Sully Motsweni is now the head of SABC Sport, with no explanation to the public from the SABC as to why.

Nomsa Philiso who was the head of the commercial enterprises division is now the SABC's new head of TV.

Nomsa Philiso is replacing the fired Verona Duwarkah who allegedly had a falling out with controversial SABC chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng after Verona Duwarkah was unwilling to sign off on multi-million rand proposals for new local content ordered by the famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng, including a new local fantasy mermaid drama, that was allegedly not being commissioned properly.

The new SABC appointments are effective from 1 August according to the SABC.

In a statement the SABC says the appointments are "aimed at continuously maximising the organisation's business efficiency and delivering on the public service mandate".

The SABC says it believes that the appointments will "strengthen the SABC’s core business and public service mandate".

Meanwhile SABC staffers are shocked and outraged who first heard of the appointments in the press statement.

Trade union Bemawu, in a strongly-worded letter to SABC management this morning that TVwithThinus obtained a copy of and has seen, slams the appointments and says it "smacks of favouritism".

"In particular in the instance of Simon Tebele, it appears as if he is now rewarded, instead of being punished, for unlawfully and invalidly terminating the employment contracts of the 7 journalists and by doing so incurred fruitless and wasteful expenditure on behalf of the SABC," says Bemawu.

Bemawu says it has "grave concern and shock" about the SABC's appointments and the broadcaster's lack of respect for employee rights. 

Bemawu says in the letter to top management that it "insists that the SABC undo these unprocedural appointments and advertise the posts to afford all employees the opportunity to apply".

"The SABC has a recruitment policy stipulating that all vacant positions shall be advertised internally as it is only fair to afford everyone in the organisation the opportunity to apply for vacant positions," says Bemawu.

Bemawu warns the SABC that if the appointments are not reversed, that it will take legal action.

BREAKING. SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng extends 90% local content quota to SABC TV channels, starting with 80% on SABC3 from 1 July.

The SABC's chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng on Tuesday announced a concerted drive to rid the public broadcaster's TV channels of its remaining international content, saying that the 90% local content quota announced for radio will now be extended to its TV channels.

The SABC will start with an 80% local content makeover for SABC3 from 1 July.

The change for SABC3 comes just three months after the SABC in February announced changes for SABC3 and its other two TV channels. It's not clear why the SABC made a big announcement three months ago, only to announce yet another round of wholesale changes at the end of May.

While no SABC3 schedule for July was released, the move looks ominous for viewers who tune in for international content on the SABC's only commercial TV station where long running weekday soaps like The Bold and the Beautiful and Days of Our Lives are the number one and number three most watched shows on the channel above local fare like Isidingo, High Rollers and Top Billing.

The expected move is also likely to prompt commercial broadcasters like M-Net and e.tv to pounce and snap up popular international fare like Survivor, The Amazing Race and some of the last remaining international series still on the SABC3 schedule that the SABC might be doing away with.

The SABC TV announcement and the 80% local content quota for SABC3 comes comes three weeks after Hlaudi Motsoeneng's edict of 90% needletime for local music on the SABC's radio stations.

In the staged announcement also attended by Jimi Matthews, acting SABC CEO and Verona Duwarkah, the SABC's head of television, the public broadcaster announced new production contracts for new producers to make local TV content for the public broadcaster.

The announcement follows Hlaudi Motsoeneng's announcement earlier this month that the SABC will start an additional four "language-based" TV channels at a cost of R2 billion - R500 million per channel.

The SABC will be adding 27 emerging producers to make new shows for the SABC's TV channels with celebrities like the fired Generations stars Sophie Ndaba and Winnie Mashaba coming back to the public broadcaster as producers, as well as Khanyi Mbau whose hit e.tv talk show Katch It with Khanyi was cancelled.

Verona Duwarkah said SABC3 could even see 100% local content in the future.

"At the moment the talent that we introduced today is for the current channels largely for SABC3 because that is where we want to revamp the schedule to more local content. Half the schedule is about local content already".

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said: "The team that I work with, they should walk like me and talk like me - that is what I am expecting from them".

"That is how I run the organisation, because we need to sing one song at the SABC and that song should be sung by everybody within the organisation. And we're not apologetic about it."

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said: "We have given instructions. The how is not my business. From July 1 we should see a different SABC. I think it's achievable. We are going to get rid of content that is no longer working for SABC3. There is no way that it can't happen, it's happening".

Hlaudi Motsoeneng approves shows himself to help cut through SABC backlog.

"When you come to me I will respond now. If you impress me it's 'yes'. If not, it's 'no' and you should know not to come back," Hlaudi Motsoeneng said.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng told producers that "I'm also aware some of people are taking chance. You need to give us quality content.You need to give us content that we able to attract an audience. And if we don't attract audience there's no reason why we should keep such content on our platform."

"Make sure when you do business with us, you give us quality. But it's also important that you have Venda dramas, soapies and so on and so on. Afrikaans also. And other different languages."

"When we think, we think about English. When we talk we talk English. I don't understand why most people will write dramas and soapies in English. But I think we have to be proud about our own African languages."

FULL LIST OF CHANGES with context: The SABC once again moves shows; makes programmatic scheduling changes across SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3.

The South African public broadcaster is once again moving shows and making programmatic scheduling changes across the SABC's three TV channels in an attempt to hold on to existing audiences and to boost viewership.

The cross-channel schedule changes involving SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 (see the breakdown list for each channel below) come a year and a half after the "drastic" schedule changes the SABC implemented in July 2014 after its 2014 FIFA World Cup coverage.

The public broadcaster which undid some of the changes in the months after following sharp criticism from viewers, is now undoing some more of those changes like moving Fokus back from SABC3 to SABC2, admitting it was a mistake.

"This schedule revamp is a direct response to the evolving television landscape and in keeping up with the SABC audience's current needs and expectations," said Verona Duwarkah, the SABC's head of television.

The SABC's chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng said that changes were made to the SABC TV schedules that viewers were not happy about but that the public broadcaster is now responding to those complaints.

The SABC admits SABC1 needed more drama. The SABC and South Africa's highest rated show, the KwaMashu filmed Uzalo on SABC1 is being turned from a telenovela into a soap thanks to its high viewership and strong performance similar to what Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) did with isiBaya, with a second season that will seamlessly start on 8 February at 20:30. Uzalo also gets an omnibus repeat slot on Sundays.

Live Amp on Fridays is being demoted to 19:30, with a new music entertainment show, Urban Music Xperience, starting on Fridays at 21:00.

On SABC2 the biggest changes are the move of the daily Sesotho news bulletin from 19:30 to 18:00 since this week, Fokus that will return from SABC3 to SABC2 from this Sunday after a year and a half after its move and a day after the programme's 20th anniversary, and the move of the Indian magazine show Mela from SABC2 to SABC3.

SABC3 takes Mela over from SABC2 as "the Indian Top Billing" and a companion show on Sundays with the Top Billing repeat.

SABC3 is also introducing specific timeslots for female variety on Tuesdays at 20:00, male viewing on Sundays at 17:30 and even a "female voyeur variety" slot on Tuesdays at 22:00 for reality shows like Botched and Dr. 90210.

SABC3 also acquired Humans as a first-run drama series for the territory, a science fiction series about domestic androids, that will be shown on Wednesday nights at 21:00.

Here's the specific changes according to SABC channel:

SABC1
■ Uzalo is officially no longer a telenovela but becoming a soap similar to what Mzansi Magic did with isiBaya with the 2nd season of Uzalo that will start on 8 February at 20:30 without interruption, from Mondays to Wednesdays.
■ The Thursday night drama slot is cut down to half an hour. The 2nd season of Mfolozi Street with Hlubi Mboya and Luthuli Dlamini will now be show here.
■ On Fridays a revamped Live Amp, still with Pearl Thusi and DJ Warras will now start at 19:30.
■ On Fridays a new hour long music entertainment show, Urban Music Xperience will start at 21:00, with presenters Luthando "Lootlove" Shosha and Adil More.
■ On Fridays Fan Base at 18:00 is getting revamped with new presenter Akhumzi Jezile.
■ On Saturday's Mzansi Insider moves an hour later to 10:00.
■ On Saturday's the Generations - The Legacy omnibus moves to 11:00.
■ On Sundays SABC1 is starting an Uzalo omnibus at 12:30.
■ On Sundays the 20:00 movie slot is gone, now replaced with a drama slot where shows like Ngempela and Sokhulu & Partners will be shown.

SABC2
■ This week the SABC moved the only Sesotho, Tswana and Sepedi news bulletin earlier from 19:30 to 18:00 from Mondays to Sundays.
This move is to create better flow across the SABC2 schedule to try and retain viewers. On Fridays for instance, Afrikaans viewing was interrupted for half an hour, leading to the loss of those viewers who didn't return after the half hour of Sotho news. Fridays now has an uninterrupted block of one language, hopefully keeping those viewers from tuning away.
■ Travel series Mooiloop! returns for another season on Mondays at 19:30, now with Elma Postma as presenter.
■ On Tuesdays the Afrikaans comedy Parys Parys that was on kykNET will start at 19:30 and SABC2 will also repeat the Afrikaans drama series Geraamtes in die Kas.
■ SABC2 will broadcast The National Teachers Awards on Tuesday 8 March at 20:30.
■ On Wednesdays Motswako moves to 19:30, followed by Ngula Ya Vutivi now at 20:00 and with the Tsonga talk show Vusaseki moving to 20:30.
■ On Thursdays 50/50 will return with another season from 18 February, again in a new timeslot of 19:30. All the presenters like Bonne de Bod, Bertus Louw and Ntokozo Mbuli remain.
■ The 25th season of Noot vir Noot will start on Friday 5 February at 20:00. SABC2 now has an uninterrupted Afrikaans programming block on Fridays from 18:30 until 21:00.
■ The comedy series My Wife and Kids move to Saturdays at 18:30 from 6 February.
■ The second season of Abomzala will start on Saturday 6 February at 20:30 about older single women looking for men.
■ The SABC is moving Fokus back from SABC3 to SABC2 a day after its 20th anniversary from this Sunday to the timeslot of 18:30, serving as an Afrikaans lead-in to the Afrikaans news at 19:00.
■ On Sundays Gospel Time on SABC2 moves to 20:00.

SABC3
■ Afternoon Express is not cancelled and remains at 16:00.
■ The Indian lifestyle magazine show Mela that replaced Eastern Mosaic moves from SABC2 to SABC3 that has a smaller broadcasting footprint reach and will now be on Sundays at 13:30 from 7 February where the SABC wants it to be a companion show to the Top Billing repeat.
■ Tuesdays is getting a reality slot at 20:00 where shows like Top Chef will be shown, as well as a "female voyeur variety" slot at 22:00 in which shows like Dr. 90210 and Botched will be shown.
■ On Wednesday at 21:00 SABC3 will broadcast the new British science fiction drama series Humans as a first-run series in South Africa in which households can buy androids and the problems it create.
■ SABC3 will start a cooking lifestyle slot from April at 20:30 in which it will broadcast shows like Neil Anthony Private Chef and Lorraine Fast Fresh & Easy.
■ SABC3 will change Friday nights to "Comedy Nights" from April with a Friday night comedy strand that will include both local and foreign stand-up comedy offerings.
■ On Saturdays, from April, the start of the movie slot is moved from 19:30 to 19:00.
■ On Saturdays, from April the arts and culture slot is moved earlier to 18:00.
On Sundays SABC3 is introducing a male variety slot at 17:30 for shows like Top Gear and One Day with Bryan Miles, followed by a current affairs block from 19:00 including shows like Interface, Special Assignment and documentaries like Ross Kemp: Extreme Worlds.

SABC News
■ The SABC said nothing about its SABC News (DStv 404) news channel or the show but has quietly introduced the new show On the Record with Vuyo Mvoko in mid-January on weeknights at 21:00.
Vuyo Mvoko as SABC contributing editor, is one of the SABC staffers who got mugged on live television in March last year. The addition of the hour long current affairs show means that Your World got cut by an hour to two hours in duration, now starting at 22:00 on weeknights.


On Tuesday night SABC News reported about the public broadcaster's schedule changes in its various TV news bulletins, but didn't tell viewers anything about any of the specific changes on any of the channels,simply noting that the schedules are changing in order for the SABC to "continue to entrech its dominance in this competitive environment and meet the set business requirements".