‘Sakina, we’re live’: The SABC's Morning Live presenters mock Namibia's NBC presenters Jessica and Elmarie after their awkward on-air spat.

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's public broadcaster, known for several of its own on-air gaffes over the years, on Thursday had some fun mocking its Namibian TV neighbour when the presenters of Morning Live worked in a skit and did their own version of a sensational video that went viral overnight of the awkward on-air fight between two presenters at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).

On Wednesday night a clip surfaced of the cringe-worthy interaction between Elmarie Kapunda, a news anchor on NBC's nightly TV news programme on Namibia's public broadcaster, and the sports presenter Jessica.

After Elmarie apparently "intruded" on the content or lines that Jessica wanted to say, Jessica started to scold Elmarie  with a "No,we are not going to do that! You're just going to greet me and say, 'Take it away", after which Elmarie had to remind her fellow presenter: "Jessica, we're live". 

Awkward silence, dead air and cold stares followed, after which the NBC News technical director cut to a commercial break.

Namibia's NBC has so far not released any statement about the incident and it's not clear whether any of the on-air talent has been suspended on taken leave.

On Thursday, Morning Live, broadcast on SABC2 and SABC News (DStv 404) reported about the incident in its daily trending topics. Later anchor Sakina Kamwendo and presenter Vaylen Kirtley had fun poking fun at their NBC colleagues' on-air moment.

Sakina Kamwendo and Vaylen Kirtley substituted their names and Vaylen had to tell her colleague: "Sakina, we're live", after which Sakina blankly stared into the Auckland Park TV camera for a few seconds - after which she cracked a smile.

On Wednesday night the SABC and SABC had its own on-air problem when anchor Vuyo Mvoko suddenly had to deal with an unexpected connection blackout during the The Watchdog timeslot:

Vuyo Mvoko has exited eNCA as anchor and political editor, TV news channel has been without a political editor for the past 3 months.

by Thinus Ferreira

Vuyo Mvoko has exited eNCA (DStv 403) where he has been an anchor as well as the TV news channel's political editor, leaving eNCA without a political editor for the past 3 months and counting, TVwithThinus has confirmed.

Although Vuyo Mvoko has been gone from the eMedia Investments-run TV news channel carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform since the end of November 2020, news of his departure has not been reported before and eNCA didn't bother to announce it or to inform the media at the time.

Vuyo Mvoko joined eNCA in April 2017 after he was fired from the SABC in July 2016 as part of a purge of journalists who at the time resisted the reign of the controversial SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

Vuyo Mvoko who also anchored eNCA programming during prime time on the channel was appointed as eNCA's political editor in January 2019, a role he held for close to two years.

In September 2019 the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) found that Vuyo Mvoko had transgressed the Broadcasting Code of Conduct by mixing commentary with news presentation with eNCA that had to run an on-air apology.

eNCA in response to a media enquiry on Thursday asking whether Vuyo Mvoko had left and who is now political editor confirmed to TVwithThinus that Vuyo Mvoko had left and moved on months ago, saying "Vuyo Mvoko left eNCA on 30 November 2020 and currently eNCA does not have a political editor".

Asked why eNCA didn't inform the media and public with a basic statement that Vuyo Mvoko had left and the time when he exited in late-2020, an eNCA spokesperson said "In regards to the issuing of a statement – it is the company's prerogative to choose if an announcement will be made when an employee leaves the company".

eNCA has started a series of Town Hall Debates with South Africa's political leaders that will debate in various provinces leading up to the country's general election on 8 May.

eNCA (DStv 403) has started a series of Town Hall Debates that the TV news channel will be broadcasting.

The first eNCA Town Hall Debate leading up to South Africa's general elections on 8 May took place in Cape Town on Thursday last week at 11:00 in the morning and was rebroadcast in full at 19:00 that same evening.

eNCA didn't communicate or announce the addition of its programming event-series to the press beforehand.

TVwithThinus asked eNCA about its Town Hall Debate series on Thursday after 11:00 after the recording of the first Town Hall Debate started in Mitchell's Plain in Cape Town with eNCA anchor Michelle Craig.

In response to the media enquiry, eNCA, in a general press statement it then issued to all media, says that "the aim of these Town Hall Debates is to give South Africans an opportunity to raise their questions and concerns with the political parties, and give the politicians a real understanding of what the people want ahead of the general elections".

Jody Jacobs, eNCA's head of output, says "Political leaders will have the opportunity to address these concerns, clarify their positions on key issues and propose their solutions to the challenges facing our democracy".

After Cape Town that, eNCA plans three further Town Hall Debates with representatives from political parties in various provinces.

Durban (27 March): eNCA anchor Shahan Ramkissoon will host a debate at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) on Wednesday 27 March at 19:00.

Port Elizabeth (11 April): eNCA's political editor Vuyo Mvoko will host a debate at the Nangoza Jebe Hall (Centenary Hall) on Thursday 11 April at 11:00.

Johannesburg (25 April): eNCA's acting editor Jeremy Maggs will host a final Big Leaders Debate at the Johannesburg city hall, on Thursday 25 April at 19:00.

eNCA says that besides the TV broadcast the debates will also be live-streamed on the eNCA.com website.

eNCA backtracks on NewsNight changes as Vuyo Mvoko is made sole anchor and political editor; Cathly Mohahlana back to anchor during the day with Vata Ngobeni appointed as eNCA sports editor.

eNCA (DStv 403) is undoing some of its line-up changes just 6 months after its introduction in mid-July 2018 with its prime time news programme NewsNight that is going back to starting at 18:00 and that will now be sole anchored by Vuyo Mvoko, with co-anchor Cathy Mohahlana going back to anchor a daypart.

Six months after eNCA's now departed news director Mapi Mhlangu changed the South African TV news channel's schedule and anchor line-up in mid-July 2018, eNCA is once again changing it, including breaking up its NewsNight co-anchor presentation that always had dual presenters.

From Monday night NewsNight that was shifted to 17:00 in mid-July is once again moved back to a starting time of 18:00, now with Vuyo Mvoko as the only anchor of eNCA's flagship news show.

Cathy Mohlahlana who anchored mid-mornings before her promotion to NewsNight in mid-May 2017 as co-anchor, is shifted back after a year and 8 months and will now once again be anchoring eNCA during the day.

Cathy Mohlahlana is now taking over as the anchor of eNCA Now between 13:00 and 15:00 on weekdays, replacing Jeremy Maggs.

Jeremy Maggs, eNCA acting editor-in-chief, will no longer serve as anchor during the week but will continue to present his weekly media magazine show, Maggs on Media on Sunday mornings.

Jeremy Maggs shifted from prime time in mid-July to the afternoon slot, but with the added duties of day-to-day management of eNCA and with 2019 being a general election year requiring additional management of news resources and logistics, decided to let weekday anchoring go.

Jeremy Maggs will be used as a special anchor on eNCA depending on his availability during key news events.

"I am very pleased that I can hand the lunchtimes over to Cathy who is one of the young stars in a very talented line-up of anchors," says Jeremy Maggs. "This will give me an opportunity to focus on the business of running a dynamic and demanding newsroom."

Following eNCA Now, Thulasizwe Simelane will now anchor on eNCA from 15:00 to 18:00 for an hour longer.

Besides now being the lone anchor of NewsNight, Vuyo Mvoko has been appointed as eNCA's political editor, with Vata Ngobeni from Pretoria News appointed as eNCA's new sports editor from February.

eNCA updates its on-air look with a rebuild studio and video wall, adjusted timeslots and a Jane Dutton talk show.

On Monday 16 July eNCA (DStv 403), that turned 10 years old last month, is redoing its on-air look with a rebuilt Hyde Park studio that includes touch screens and a big video wall, as well as reducing the number of its on-air blocks including folding the afternoon slot News Day into a bigger midday slot rebranded as eNCA Now, and a prime time talk show for Jane Dutton.

From Monday Morning News between 06:00 and 09:00 becomes Morning News Today anchored by Dan Moyane and Uveka Rangappa.

Morning News Today on weekdays will look at overnight news stories and provides an overview of the day that lies ahead. The timeslot will also take a look at the lighter side of life in the country with human interest and lifestyle features.

The Lead between 09:00 and 13:00, News Day between 13:00 and 14:00 and Afternoon News between 16:00 and 18:00 all fall away and are folded into the more generic eNCA Now block from 09:00 to 17:00 with rolling news coverage.

eNCA Now will be anchored by by Xoli Mngambi, Jeremy Maggs, Michelle Craig and Thulasizwe Simelane throughout the day. Devan Murugan will be doing business news coverage.

News Night that used to start at 18:00 will now start an hour earlier at 17:00 from Monday anchored by Vuyo Mvoko and Cathy Mohahlana and go until 20:00 instead of 21:00.

News Night will continue to cover the day's big news stories.

At 20:00 on eNCA there's the introduction of Tonight with Jane Dutton, a new weekday talk show that eNCA calls its "flagship daily talk show" that will feature interviews various guests and newsmakers.

Jane Dutton returns to South Africa and e.tv from Al Jazeera.

The half hour Moneyline on eNCA falls away to make space for the hour long News Hour at 22:00 on weekdays, anchored by Shahan Ramkissoon and Siki Mgabadeli.

News Hour will take a look at the day's top news and business stories and will feature business reports as well as in-depth coverage of the day's news events.

Late Edition follows at 23:00, that eNCA calls " comprehensive, relaxed and conversational review of the day's news and a first look at the next day's action".

Mapi Mhlangu, eNCA's managing director and editor-in-chief, says the redone studio where news anchors will be able to move around more and the big video wall will make eNCA's "news delivery more contemporary, more interactive and faster moving".

She says that eNCA will continue to do "quality news".

"Audiences today have far more choice in a fragmenting television environment. My promise to the eNCA community is that despite the changing nature of news consumption, we will continue to rely on what has made us successful:  quality news that reflects the complexity of South African society, always mindful that we are a voice for ordinary people and their daily struggles," says Mapi Mhlangu.

Memorial for SABC journalist Suna Venter: 'We all giggled waiting for the utterances of the madman, but at least Suna lived to see the back of Hlaudi at the SABC'.

At the memorial service of the SABC journalist Suna Venter, media freedom fighters courageously spoke out about the ongoing tyranny at South Africa's public broadcaster and eloquently called for an ongoing focus and effort against censorship and oppression inside the SABC corridors where they say Hlaudi Motsoeneng enforcers remain.

Heavy caliber and staunch press and freedom of expression fighters in South Africa on Thursday afternoon used the hauntingly emotional memorial service of the SABC journalist Suna Venter who died a week ago from broken heart syndrome, to call for support for the ongoing fight for the soul of the SABC.

Media heavy weights called on the SABC that has done nothing so far about it, to launch an urgent investigation into the threats and attacks on the so-called SABC8 journalists who stood up against the SABC TV news censorship decree of the controversial and now fired former chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

Refusing to go along, they were fired, harassed, threatened, went to court, were reinstated and the SABC's censorship order declared illegal by the broadcaster regulator.

On Thursday afternoon the SABC decided not to broadcast or live stream through its SABC News resources the late Thursday afternoon memorial service of one of its own held inside the SABC at the public broadcaster's M1 Studios at Auckland Park, leaving eNCA (DStv 403) as the only TV news channel providing a streaming TV feed.

While top-ranking SABC executives were notably absent, the broadcaster's acting chief operating officer (COO) Bessie Tugwana, dressed in pink, was spotted stoically sitting and listening among the gathered mourners.

The courageous SABC's economics editor Thandeka Gqubule, one of the SABC8, welcomed the now eNCA prime time anchor Vuyo Mvoko - also one of the SABC8 journalists and who got fired by the SABC - back to the public broadcaster.

"Welcome back to the SABC, Vuyo," she said.

"It looks and feels very weird that I'm back inside the SABC," he said. "It's weird that eNCA, a private broadcaster, is live streaming this event to South Africa, right from within the SABC."


SOS Coalition: SABC must investigate SABC8 threats
Duduetsang Makuse, national coordinator of the SOS Coalition, the large civil society public pressure group dedicated to proper public broadcasting in South Africa, spoke at Suna Venter's memorial and said that "wild scale injustice" continues to flourish at the SABC.

"The SABC has a lot to answer for. At the time that Suna received threats on her life, the SABC was dismissive and callous in its response".

"The SABC statement by spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago at the time noted: 'Our message is very clear that this is a matter for the police. If the police will not do what they must do, then this has nothing to do with the SABC."

"No member of the SABC8 has received a formal apology for the offensive response and the behaviour of the then SABC board and senior management," said Duduetsang Makuse.

"We are also not aware of anyone being held accountable for any of the threats that were made against the group. We know that Hlaudi Motsoeneng and his enforcers - even though he has left, are still in place at the SABC."

"We know that too many others are being threatened. Many other journalists and other members of society are fearful of speaking the truth."

"There must be an investigation into the threats against her and others of the SABC8, so many named and unnamed other media workers as well."

"It's absolutely imperative that one of the actions the new SABC board must take, is to investigate the SABC's complicity in the threats, and to ensure that those behind the harassment and intimidation are identified and held accountable," said Duduetsang Makuse.


'The fight is not over. Oppressors never give up.'
The veteran journalist and highly respected SABC interim board deputy chairperson Mathata Tsedu said "what Suna Venter and the rest of the SABC8 were faced with, is not a new fight. That they were able to come back to work doesn't mean that victory was attained".

"Freedom is never won. It's defended," he said.

"When I heard that Suna had died, I thought to myself: Did I do enough? Did we as a people do enough to defend this freedom that we have?"

"And I said to myself, I didn't. We were all giggling and waiting for the next unimaginable utterances of the madman Hlaudi Motsoeneng. Meanwhile this asset, the SABC, was going down - until Suna and the SABC8 said this far and no further, whatever the price is."

"They were able to come back. Many more were not able to come back here. They were paid off and told to bugger off," said Mathata Tsedu.

"If there is a lesson in all of this and in Suna Venter's life, it is that each one of us must understand that in this wheel of change that must happen in South Africa, in the change that must propel us forward, there is a piece in that wheel where only my shoulders plug in."

"The fight is not over. Oppressors never give up," said Mathata Tsedu. "Hlaudi Motsoeneng was trying to get into Nasrec two days ago, claiming to be an ANN7 (DStv 405) analyst. So they never give up."

"At least Suna Venter lived to see the back of Hlaudi Motsoeneng, here [at the SABC]. Even if we have failed in many other respects, there are things that we have put in place that all of us as a nation need to help propel forward."

"I hope Suna, little one, that wherever you are, in whatever has been said here, you are able to recognise yourself."


Editor's Forum: Too many silent as they giggled at Hlaudi
Mahlatse Gallens, chairperson of the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) said that "our hearts are broken that 23 years into democracy, we are fighting against censorship".

"It's exactly a year ago that we stood outside this very building, protesting against the tyranny that has befallen the SABC".

"The SABC is way too big and way too important to our democracy to fail. Suna forced those who decided to sit idly by and be complicit in the tyranny to finally do the right thing. Too many were silent as we struggled and they giggled as Hlaudi Motsoeneng was saying whatever stupid things he was saying," said Mahlatse Gallens.

"While those who thought that they could end independent journalism within the public broadcaster are slowly starting to be held to account, we know that the journey will be long, it will be hard, and it demands all of us to be Suna Venter."

Vuyo Mvoko said "to SABC journalists who have finally found their voices, it's never late. Thank you for doing whatever you could do. Keep standing up. Keep pushing back. It's the only way we can defend our hard-won freedoms."

eNCA announces Cathy Mohlahlana and Vuyo Mvoko as its new prime time NewsNight anchors; Jeremy Maggs moves to NewsDay.

eNCA (DStv 403) has chosen workhorse Cathy Mohlahlana and Vuyo Mvoko fired a few months ago by the SABC as the 24-hour TV news channel's new prime time co-anchors and is launching a new youth-centric talk show entitled Backchat.

From 22 May the longtime eNCA reporter and anchor Cathy Mohlahlana will take over in prime time - any news channel's showcase timeslot - together with Vuyo Mvoko as the new co-anchor team on NewsNight.

The mid-morning Cathy Mohlahlana and newcomer Vuyo Mvoko are replacing Iman Rappetti who left eNCA last month and Jeremy Maggs who asked for an earlier daytime timeslot.

The experienced Cathy Mohlahlana has anchored across several timeslots on the news channel from eMedia Investments supplied to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in the past.

Vuyo Mvoko was recently roped in for a reporting test drive after he was abruptly fired by the South African public broadcaster as one of the vocal so-called "SABC8" journalists who opposed former chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng's TV news censorship order.

While Cathy Mohlahlana's promotion to its flagship eNCA show was expected, Vuyo Mvoko's quick elevation is surprising since news channels usually reward internal anchors and reporters who've paid their dues and done anchoring and field reporting over years and who are familiar, trusted faces to viewers.

Vuyo Mvoko's show On the Record on SABC News (DStv 404) was abruptly cancelled by the SABC in March 2016 following behind-the-scenes censorship conflict, after which he penned a scathing "My hell at the SABC" front page editorial newspaper piece in July 2016 about the failing internal workings of the SABC newsroom.

"Vuyo brings political knowledge and years of experience and Cathy has excelled as an anchor since she moved from field reporting," says Mapi Mhlangu, eNCA news director.

Vuyo Mvoko says "with everything going on in the country today, Cathy and I hope to rise to the challenge of telling the story as it unfolds."

Cathy Mohlahlana says "Vuyo is someone I have the utmost respect for and I look forward to beginning this new chapter with him."

From 22 May Jeremy Maggs will move to front NewsDay between 13:00 and 16:00 on weekdays, that will see Michalle Craig and Shahan Ramkissoon pushed from this timeslot to mid-mornings where they will now anchor 9:00 to 13:00.

Uveka Rangappa and Dan Moyane will continue to anchor Morning News Today between 6:00 and 9:00, and Joanne Joseph will continue in the 4:00 to 18:00 timeslot on eNCA.

SABC's Hlaudi Motsoeneng in ANN7 interview slams 'clever blacks' for attacking president Zuma; claims MultiChoice pays for whole SABC newsroom operations.

Speaking in a third unauthorised public appearance on Sunday night, the controversial SABC employee Hlaudi Motsoeneng slammed "clever blacks" for criticising president Jacob Zuma.

On Sunday night the suspended Hlaudi Motsoeneng who confirmed that "I'm still an employee of the SABC" did an interview on the Gupta-owned ANN7 TV news channel on DStv, a few days after his own press conference on Wednesday that he followed up with an interview on Thursday on the eNCA news channel.

After the SABC interim chairperson Khanyisile Kweyama said on Friday that Hlaudi Motsoeneng – who is awaiting another disciplinary hearing – isn't allowed to speak publicly as an SABC employee, he went and ramped up his public statements on Sunday night by making political statements and again slammed the SABC board member Krish Naidoo as a liar.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng spoke on ANN7's Straight Talk programme where interviewer Sifiso Mahlangu lobbed several-softball questions to Hlaudi Motsoeneng during the half-hour ANN7 show.

"The DA represents liberals. You can't run away from that point of view. They just have face when you look at Maimane, Mmusi Maimaine, just the face there. This people are using him," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

"I'm always surprise that a black person – when you have many, many, many, many white people who [you] don't see media running after white people. But we see media and the DA running after black people."

"If you can check, people are not just attacking Hlaudi. They're attacking all those people who have been doing very well, like Brian Molefe, like [Tom] Moyane, Sars commissioner, and many, many people they have been attacking them, that I think they’re radical, they know what they do. They know what South Africans want."

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said "you can see there’s many opportunists within the SABC, especially people who are disgruntled, people who are not supporting transformation within that organisation, who went and lied during the ad hoc committee".

Hlaudi Motsoeneng again slammed SABC board member Krish Naidoo and claimed Naidoo lied during parliament’sad hoc committee investigation into maladministration and corruption at the SABC.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said "we live in a democratical society" and that "for the first time in history, all of them in parliament, they collude, all of them, under the name of Hlaudi" to get rid of him.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng also attacked the former SABC journalist and contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko, now working for eNCA, and who was fired as one of the so-called "SABC8" when they protested SABC censorship during 2016.

"I don't know what Vuyo Mvoko knows. Remember Vuyo Mvoko was working for the Guptas himself, so I don't know what happened between him and the Guptas."

Claim: DStv pays for whole SABC newsroom

Hlaudi Motsoeneng made a new revelation during the Sunday evening interview, addressing the SABC's controversial contract with MultiChoice in which the public broadcaster supplies the SABC News and SABC Encore TV channels to DStv.

He claimed that the commercial pay-TV company is paying for the public broadcaster's entire news operation.

"I have been saying, the money that we are getting from MultiChoice, it pays the operations of the SABC – the whole newsroom, not for DStv 404 channel."

"If you cancel that contract, which means people are going to be unemployed."

'Media believes black people can’t rule'

"The reason why media attack government is because they still believe that black people can't rule. It's a pity that you have so-called clever blacks who are also joining to criticise, especially some of the leaders in this country – president Zuma is one of them," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

"President Zuma is under attack. And why he's under attack, is because he's talking about radical transformation. So when you touch those issues, you touch the real nerves of some of people who don’t want that change to happen".

"The problem is not white people in South Africa. It's not white people. They are powerless. We are in charge as black people. We must implement what we need to implement in South Africa."

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said: "We are not saying chase away the white people. They are part of us, we are part of them. But they shall understand there must be equity among all of us."

The cake should be shared

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said he asked SABC cleaners why they want to work for other people.

He wanted to empower the cleaners so that they own their own company. "I said the cake should be shared, not just these big companies."

Addressing the situation of the SABC being on the verge of financial collapse needing another billion rand bail-out from government, he said "the reason why the SABC were having all this repeats [on TV], some of them they were just happy to have R1.4 billion in the bank."

"I asked them you have R1.4 billion in the bank, but you are not empowering black people."

"South Africans they are very crazy when it comes to Hlaudi, so I know, that really I'm in demand. I don't have a problem. But I have been saying to people I'm going to enjoy myself in that disciplinary hearing, because I enjoy everything that I do. Whether it is dismissal, I will enjoy it."

ANN7 on DStv called 'a bunch of wankers' for not showing the SABC inquiry; Sindy Mabe disses viewer: 'You obviously don't care about the price of milk'.

Love this. Michael from George calls ANN7 asks why they aren't showing #SABCinquiry, says they're biased and calls them a bunch of wankers. pic.twitter.com/hTQxkPaf62

— Mike Davies (@AfricaAnalyst) December 12, 2016

In yet another jaw-dropping on-air faux pas a viewer called ANN7 (DStv 405) "a bunch of wankers" for the failure of the Guptas' TV news channel to show the ongoing SABC inquiry.

In yet another bisarre ANN7 on-air incident, a viewer, Michael from George, called in on Monday and slammed the TV news channel from Infinity Media, carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, as "a bunch of wankers" for not showing the SABC inquiry.

SABC News (DStv 404) and eNCA (DStv 403) both broadcast the shocking and revealing testimony from a litany of witnesses about the allegations of corruption, fraud and the collapse of governance at the South African public broadcaster on Monday, while ANN7 had a panel discussion about the price of milk.

"Why don’t you broadcast that parliamentary thing on the SABC?" asked Michael.

The stunned Sindy Mabe, formerly on-air at the SABC and e.tv and who recently jumped to ANN7, told the viewer "you obviously missed it Michael, but what is your real question?"

"No, it is on now! It is on now!" said Michael. "We also have programming, Michael," blurted Sindy Mabe.

"You’re just biased aren't you? You're such a bunch of wankers, you know that? The SABC – " and then he was abruptly cut off.

Sindy Mabe deadpanned: "Michael, you obviously don't care what the price of milk is".

Corruption: SABC destroyed from within

On Monday in parliament, witnesses slammed and implicated the Gupta owned The New Age (sister newspaper to ANN7) in attempts to capture the SABC's SABC News division and for money being funneled from the SABC to ANN7.

The SABC's former head of technology, Sipho Masinga, told parliament how, before ANN7 was launched as a MultiChoice channel, he was in a meeting with Nazeem Howa who had a 3-page document detailing how it wanted to take over, run and rebrand the SABC's news.

"I couldn't believe it," said Sipho Masinga. "The New Age wanted to take over and manage SABC News with the SABC that has to supply the staff. The New Age tried to take over SABC News and rebrand it".

"I knew if I opened the door (to the Guptas) that we were going to have problems." Sipho Masinga testified that Hlaudi Motsoeneng left the room just before The New Age document with the proposed take-over of SABC news was given to him.

ANN7 was later launched as Infinity Media's own TV news channel that belongs to Oakbay Investments, the same as The New Age.

Later during the day, the freelance SABC contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko – who was effectively fired as one of the so-called "#SABC8" earlier this year for speaking out against Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s TV news censorship decree – also slammed ANN7.

Vuyo Mvoko testified that money that should be coming to the SABC is being funneled to rival broadcaster ANN7 through the controversial The New Age Breakfast Briefings broadcast on SABC2's Morning Live.

"What SABC executives haven't informed you about is they have allowed SABC money to be used to build a rival channel – ANN7."

"Yet, the money the owners of TNA make, none of it – not a cent – goes to the SABC. From the millions they make through sponsorship, to the tables they sell at those breakfasts – they do not take any of that to the SABC except, perhaps, to the people who make things happen for them."

Vuyo Mvoko said Morning Live resources – SABC resources and budget – are diverted to pay for the production costs of the breakfast briefing broadcasts, while The New Age gets the money and dividends from the events.

Vuyo Mvoko said the SABC's TV news bulletins and current affairs programmes "are bleeding ARs (audience ratings)" because of the reputation and credibility damage the SABC has inflicted on its brand.

Vuyo Mvoko said The New Age actually wanted to do more than just the breakfast briefings and proposed "provincial The New Age breakfast briefing broadcast weeks" that would financially cripple the SABC even more.

"Someone is being enriched further at the expense of the public broadcaster," said Vuyo Mvoko. "Corruption is taking place; the public broadcaster is being destroyed from within."

SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng sees to it that all 8 suspended SABC journalists are fired without disciplinaries; news anchor Ivor Price resigns.

Where to begin with the trash-crush and crises-riddled demimonde that is the SABC?

SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng - as chief operating officer (COO) the boss over all operations of the SABC - has now seen to it that all 8 of the suspended SABC journalists, known as the #SABC8 are immediately fired.

1. All 8 were fired, without due process, without any disciplinary hearings, and with blatant disregard for South Africa's labour law and by only getting an email, simply for voicing their concern and another opinion to the draconian and famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng's 26 May diktat that the SABC's SABC TV News division must censor news coverage of public protests and not show the destruction of property.

On Tuesday a day after the SABC outright fired Suna Venter (senior journalist), Foeta Krige (RSG executive editor), Jacques Steenkamp (senior investigative journalist) and Krivani Pillay (SAfm current affairs executive producer) with a letter from Sebolelo Ditlhakanyane, the SABC's head of news and actuality, the SABC also fired the other 4.

On Tuesday the SABC fired Busisiwe Ntuli (specialist producer for the investigative programme Special Assignment on SABC3), Lukhanyo Calata (a SABC journalist in Cape Town whose father Fort Calata was one of the Cradock Four anti-Apartheid struggle activists), and Thandeka Gqubule (economics editor) with dismissal letters.

Contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko as the 8th person of the #SABC8 group who spoke out against SABC censorship was a freelance journalist and the SABC terminated his contract.

The letters firing the other 4 SABC journalists were carbon copies of the firing letters of the first four, this one signed by Nyana Molete, the latest in a string of SABC news staffers filling the position as acting head of SABC News since everyone keeps quitting or getting fired.

"It is common cause that you have made it known to the SABC that you will continue to disrespect the SABC, your employer," reads the firing letter.

"It has now become clear to the SABC that you have no intention to refrain from your conduct of undermining the SABC and the authority of its management. In the premise your continued acts of misconduct have become intolerable. Your employment with the SABC is thus terminated with immediate effect."


2. The SABC TV News anchor Ivor Price resigned.
Ivor Price, a SABC TV News anchor on SABC2 who is also a presenter on the Afrikaans SABC radio station RSG, resigned, saying he could no longer remain silent, telling Netwerk24 in an open letter than Hlaudi Motsoeneng's "poisonous tentacles have infested the entire SABC."

"Even if Hlaudi Motsoeneng is fired tomorrow or resigns, it will take long for SABC journalists to get over the fear."


3. Political and other reaction - and those staying silent.
Meanwhile the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, and a backer and ally of the controversial and famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng, has remained completely silent, not saying or doing anything, and doing nothing to resolve the growing number of crises at the SABC.

The ANC political party when asked for comment over the SABC's firing of the 8 journalists, said "no comment".

The South African Communist Party (SACP) in a statement said the firing of the 8 SABC journalists who questioned the SABC's censorship decision was a "reflection of structurally deeper administrative and governance decay" at the SABC.

The Democratic Alliance political party who on Tuesday held a public protest at parliament said action must continue until the integrity of the SABC is restored. "The ANC are complicit in the complete breakdown of good governance at the SABC".

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) says in a statement it ts shocked by the firing of the 8 journalists without due process and deeply distressed over the ever-unfolding crisis at the SABC, saying it will possibly call on its members to stop paying their SABC TV licences.

"If the impasse at the SABC is not resolved without delay the IFP will again call on its rank and file to stop paying their TV licences as a form of protest."

The COPE political party says in a statement that the SABC is "an illegitimate institution overseen by an illegitimate COO".

COPE says it "urges South Africans to withhold their SABC TV licence fees" and is calling on "every advertiser to cancel with the SABC with immediate effect. Their failure to act appropriately will signify that they place no premium on freedom of expression and the rule of law".

The Organisation Against Tax Abuse (Outa) is called for an urgent investigation the non-existent Faith Muthambi into the SABC.

"By dismissing these journalists‚ the SABC's autocratic leadership will simply engender more fear and cause less inclusiveness to critical internal discussion and debate," says Outa.

The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) on Tuesday called for an urgent parliamentary meeting over the crisis-riddled SABC and its latest shame.

"Parliament is once again failing to exercise its constitutional responsibilities to hold the executive and the SABC board to account. The rebuke the National Assembly recently received from the Constitutional Court ruling in the Nkandla matter appears to have fallen on deaf ears," says Casac.

The Right2Know Campaign and SOS Coalition calls Hlaudi Motsoeneng a tyrant, saying the firing of the 8 SABC journalists was a "show trial" with "trumped-up and nonsensical charges".

"It is the sort of thing we now expect under the tyranny of COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng."

"It is also telling of the complicity of higher-ups, like Faith Muthambi who insist on propping up the COO, in contempt of the courts and the Public Protector."

"This has continued as the SABC lurches from crisis to crisis, as the climate of fear for journalists grows and even as unions, civil society, opposition parties, and even factions of the governing party condemn Hlaudi Motsoeneng".


4. Trade unions: The Communication Workers Union (CWU) who got a raise from Hlaudi Motsoeneng recently says it supports Hlaudi Motsoeneng and his SABC censorship isn't saying or doing anything.

Bemawu says it will take the SABC to Labour Court after firing the 8 SABC journalists without disciplinary hearings, no due process, no warning letter and over something that's not even a fireable offense. That is besides the trade union Solidariteit that is also taking the SABC to the Labour Court over the same issue.

The Mwasa trade union in an open letter slammed the matricless broadcasting demagogue, telling Hlaudi Motsoeneng that "the world will not be silent as you continue your viral destruction and wreak havoc". Mwasa told Hlaudi Motsoeneng to "just resign and leave".


5. Amnesty International in a strongly-worded statement said firing the 8 SABC journalists is "a cynical and sinister ploy to entrench fear".

"The dismissal of eight SABC journalists following their suspension over their questioning of editorial decisions by the broadcaster's executives is a cynical and sinister decision designed to entrench a climate of fear at the institution‚" says Muleya Mwananyanda‚ Amnesty International's deputy director for Southern Africa.

"Their dismissals will only serve to undermine journalistic and media freedoms at the SABC. The eight journalists must be re-instated immediately".


6. Longtime SABC news staffers told TVwithThinus on Tuesday: "In the last year this [SABC] has become one of the ugliest and most oppressive places I've ever worked at" and "Every step further where nothing happens to him, he [Hlaudi Motsoeneng] feels emboldened to go further".


7.Scared SABC news staffers no longer want to cover and report on SABC stories, fearful they will end up in internal SABC real politik cross fire.

8.SABC bad reputation damaged further. SABC PR tzar Kaizer Kganyago who wasn't available for comment according to several reports, told one newspaper after the firings that the SABC "isn't concerned about and won't be influenced by the public reaction over the dismissals".

Meanwhile the SABC continues to make front page, lurid headlines in newspapers across South Africa ... literally daily (weekdays and on weekends non-stop) that's trashing the SABC's already trash reputation and its negative brand perception.


9. It's deja vu at the SABC (1) where the Public Protector found in her February 2014 report that Hlaudi Motsoeneng was directly involved in getting rid of every single SABC staffer who opposed him and who testified against him in earlier disciplinary hearings against him.


10.It's deja vu at the SABC (2) where the Public Protector found in her February 2014 report that Hlaudi Motsoeneng's last purge of SABC staff cost the beleaguered public broadcaster millions of rand, finding that firing senior employees "had cost the broadcaster millions, due to its procedural and substantive injustices".

"Most of the cases were handled without following proper procedure. All 14 suspensions and terminations were successfully challenged in court and at the CCMA".

The avoidable legal fees and payouts ballooned the SABC's salary bill with a massive R29 million that was unnecessary, and fruitless and wasteful expenditure.


News round-up:
■ Ray White, now assignment editor at Eyewitness News who worked at the SABC, says at the SABC a "Hlaud has dimmed the SABC's bright future", detailing how a young Hlaudi Motsoeneng was essentially a moron and struggled and was transferred to Bloemfontein.

"Journalists are no longer in charge of bringing you the news - the SABC is now the news."

■ Meanwhile after the SABC fired its 8 suspended journalists, Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) is slamming South African brands like Wimpy, Checkers, Vodacom, Clientele Life, Spur and others saying they better weigh the damage they do to their own brand being associated with and directly supporting censorship and undermining South Africa's democracy.

■ Meanwhile initially over R50 000 in donations was made by South Africans to help the fired journalists climbing to over R84 000 late on Tuesday from 124 people.

■ Trade union Solidarity says the SABC is behaving like a kangaroo court,

■ Daily Maverick has Ranjeni Munusamy weighing in on Hlaudi's Kill Bill: The Slippery Slide towards manipulating the news and that what started out as an attack on media freedom is fast becoming an attack on democracy.

Two Zimbabweans, Alfred Ndlovu and Clement Ncube, sentenced to 15 years in prison each for robbing the SABC editor Vuyo Mvoko and crew live on-air.

Two Zimbabweans, Alfred Ndlovu and Clement Ncube have been sentenced for 15 years in prison for the brazen robbery captured and broadcast live on-air on the SABC of the SABC contributor Vuyo Mvoko and the rest of the SABC news crew in March 2015.

The foreigners were sentenced to 15 years behind bars each by the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court today after they pleaded guilty to robbery with aggravated circumstances two months ago.

The Zimbabwean duo robbed four cellphones, a laptop, a wristwatch and R70 as Vuyo Mvoko was reporting from a highway overlooking the Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg.

The other two accused Pascal Manuel Junior and Motin Mortin who bought the stolen goods and who pleaded not guilty in March, will be tried separately.

The National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Gauteng spokesperson, Phindi Louw says "I can confirm that both accused were each sentenced to 15 years today at the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court. They will begin their sentences immediately. There was overwhelming evidence against these two and that is why they had pleaded guilty".

The SABC News reporter Chriselda Lewis who was part of the crew who got mugged in the terrifying incident, said she was glad about the sentence and remembered how scared she was.

"Thanks to the South African Police Service for working tirelessly to ensure those thugs are behind bars. 15 years in jail. Do it for other victims too. I almost feel sorry for them but think how I almost threw myself off the bridge to escape. Society doesn't deserve that rot, Chriselda Lewis said on Twitter.

SABC silent after it dumped Vuyo Mvoko's new show, On the Record, because he wanted to discuss state capture; censorship rife inside public broadcaster say insiders.

The SABC and SABC News (DStv 405) blatantly dumped contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko's recently launched weeknight show On the Record because he worked on doing an on-air discussion about alleged state capture by the Gupta family involving president Jacob Zuma.

City Press first reported the SABC's abrupt cancellation of On the Record for which the low-rated SABC News channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform actually altered its primetime channel line-up again in January to make space for the new show.

On the Record is gone, not even making it to three months on the air after it was launched in mid-January on SABC News.

Vuyo Mvoko, who still make appearances on SABC News, simply tweeted: "Regret to announce that there'll be no On The Record tonight – or in future for that matter – for reasons I won't get into right now. Thanks for the support."

It came after he still told viewers earlier the same day - with no advisory or programming change announced by the SABC or SABC News that it won't be happening and that the show is yanked - that people should tune in for a "live show on state capture and the Guptas".

The public broadcaster's spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago told City Press the public broadcaster's schedules has nothing to do with South Africa's public watching its programming.

"The change of our schedule, both on radio and television, has nothing to do with City Press".

Kaizer Kganyago has since failed to respond to a media enquiry from TVwithThinus as well as to all other media asking about the cancellation of On the Record.

SABC News insiders are saying they "live by censorship" inside the SABC's Auckland Park headquarters, "what's worrying is that it becomes clear when we don't go big on news items that are trending, that are being pursued by other broadcasters," says one SABC editor.

Vuyo Mvoko's show was allegedly cancelled according to insiders because an episode about state capture by the Gupta family couldn't be done without portraying president Jacob Zuma in a bad light.

Today's interesting TV stories to read from TV with Thinus - 26 March 2015.

Jeremy Clarkson now faces police arrest for his physical violence.
Co-horts James May tells Sky News the sacking of Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear on BBC Entertainment (DStv 120) is a "tragedy" and that "the three of us are a package" while Richard Hammond says "we're all three of us idiots in our own different ways".


The BBC has "The Jeremy Clarkson Story" - a reflexive post-firing explainer.
Meanwhile abused producer Oisin Tymon has been targeted by online vicious trolls after the firing news.
The BBC is looking for a new Top Gear presenter without the racial slurs and offensive behaviour of Jeremy Clarkson.
Jeremy Clarkson also lawyered up just before his firing with the American "litigation boutique" of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan.
Twitter went "into meltdown" after Jeremy Clarkson got fired, and Jeremy Clarkson fans threaten to boycott Top Gear and the BBC after his sacking. He also changed his Twitter profile while his girlfriend Philippa Sage "flew in to comfort him" in his West London home.
Variety asks what's next for the damaged Top Gear? and a former BBC boss says "Jeremy Clarkson was a disaster waiting to happen".
GQ Britain says the BBC was "foolish" to fire Jeremy Clarkson over a violent drunk fight - the BBC is supposed to "take care" of a drunk TV presenter during a work trip.


BBC Worldwide and Brand Events are quiet about what is happening to the Top Gear Live events scheduled - including the one in South Africa in June - as anxious people who've bought tickets are wondering what's going on with Top Gear Live's future "in doubt".
Analysis: Jeremy Clarkson's horrible violence left the BBC no choice but to fire the Top Gear presenter.


Oprah's OWN orders an Iyanla Vanzant spin-off.
With Iyanla: Fix My Life broadcast on TLC Entertainment (DStv 172) and now SABC2, OWN is ordering an as-yet-untitled spin-off with Jay Williams. Also, Oprah unveils a brand-new theme song and anthem for her TV network.

BET's (DStv 129) Wendy Williams gets a show on ID: Investigation Discovery (DStv 171).
Death by Gossip with Wendy Williams will focus on crimes that were fueled by rumors and lies.Wendy Williams will be the presenter and executive producer.

An Alien Nation remake is in the works.

Leighton Meester and the dear Dorota are still friends.
The Gossip Girl star and her maid are still in touch.

Why all of the sudden 1990's TV show remakes?
The X-Files creator Chris Carter says its "because its worked before and there's a possibility it can work again".

The Goldbergs sitcom on M-Net wanted to do a "Thriller" Halloween episode.
But its too expensive: The Michael Jackson Estate has to give permission for the song - which has a high price tag, and then the show has to pay $100 000 for the choreography.

Muggers of Vuyo Mvuko and the SABC crew are due back in court.
The criminals who are illegal immigrants in South Africa will appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court again today.

Today's interesting TV stories to read from TV with Thinus - 18 March 2015

"Top Gear doesn't need Jeremy Clarkson."
Former Stig driver Ben Carson says the presenter on BBC Entertainment (DStv 120) didn't back him in a clash with the BBC, didn't support him and he hasn't spoken with him since.
Meanwhile Jeremy Clarkson will be back on the BBC in May - because he's presenting another panel discussion show.


Debate of no confidence in president Jacob Zuma not shown on DStv's Parliamentary TV (DStv 408).
With Parliamentary TV channel not showing the debate, MultiChoice says it doesn't have control over the TV channel broadcasting on its DStv platform.

NFVF buckling under resignations, violations of good governance.
Film funding crisis at the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) as questions are being asked about dodgy film deals, five star overseas trips for officials and the alleged violation of corporate governance.

Oprah auctioning off 500 items from her Chicago high rise apartment.
Money will be used to fund her Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation - and there's some nice stuff.

South African DStv subscribers are paying less than Zambia.
MultiChoice Zambia holds a press conference following Zambia's uproar and calls for a boycott over the 20% hike in DStv subscriptions from 1 April and MultiChoice Zambia's general manager Simon Bota says South African DStv subscribers pay less than people in other countries in the region.

Simon Bota accuses the 3 000 DStv subscribers in Zambia who have signed the petition of misleading other DStv subscribers which is having an impact on DStv's subscriber base. Meanwhile Zambia's Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) says MultiChoice Zambia needs more pay-TV competition.


The SABC is NOT a public broadcaster.
So says South Africa's confused minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, who says the SABC is a state-owned enterprise, with her, Faith Muthambi, as its sole and only government shareholder representative.
Meanwhile the disarray at the SABC is of big concern to the SACP political party. Faith Muthambi is also defending SABC secrecy and says there is nothing wrong with keeping policies secret.


E! Entertainment (DStv 124) takes Fashion Police off TV until September.
E! previously said the show would be back on 30 March but is now changing course as an E! executive talks about the ongoing scandal surrounding the show. E! Entertainment (DStv 124) has no plans of letting of Fashion Police despite all of the toxicity around the flopped reboot, and executives are looking for new panelists.

The Only Way is Essex will continue until at least 2016.
The British ITV reality show seen on BBC Entertainment (DStv 120) has been renewed.

A+E Studios looking to do vampire drama Let the Right One In.
Wants the Teen Wolf writers to create a TV show based on the Swedish book in which a girl vampire meets a boy.

iNsane.
Empire's Terrence Howard on FOX's (DStv 125 / StarSat 131) hit drama wants TV to use the "N" word.

The illegal immigrants who robbed SABC's Vuyo Mvoko won't apply for bail.
The illegal aliens from Zimbabwe who are in South Africa without proper documentation, Alfred  Thongamedi and Clement Mncube have appeared in court and can't apply for bail.
They appeared with Pascal Junior from Mozambique and Modin Modin from Bangladesh after attacking and mugging a SABC crew. All four needed interpreters since none can speak English.