The ongoing drawn-out alleged fraud case between MultiChoice Namibia and its former executive Manga Nawa-Mukena (37) has been delayed again after her legal team dropped her.
Manga Nawa-Mukena allegedly defrauded MultiChoice Namibia between 1 April 2013 and 17 March 2017.
She allegedly abused her marketing manager position to pay Kundan (Pty) Ltd for advertising services that were never rendered, allegedly falsifying 80 invoices for various advertising agencies and submitting them together with banking details that were not that of Kundan (Pty) Ltd but her own banking details.
The Magistrate's Court referred the case to the Windhoek High Court.
Judge Shafimana Ueitele has been forced to postpone the case yet again after Manga Nawa-Mukena's legal counsel, De Klerk, Horn & Coetzee Inc. has withdrawn from the case.
Manga Nawa-Mukena's, her husband Joseph Mukena (43), and a friend Celestino Gabriel Antonio (37) stand accused by Namibia's prosecutor-general on charges of fraud, alternatively theft, money laundering, forgery and uttering of a forged document, contravening Namibia's Organised Crime Act, obstructing or attempting to defeat the course of justice and contravening the Value Added Tax Act in Namibia.
The report on the forensic investigation at the rot and corruption at South Africa's National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an organisation funded by the department of arts and culture, uncovered various NFVF staffers and council members who took family members with them on luxury trips to Sun City for the South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas), as well as high flying overseas trips with taxpayer's money without the minister of arts and culture's permission and sign-off.
The investigation by Comperio Consulting and dubbed The Comperio Report found a massive overspend by the National Film and Video Foundation on things like office renovations with money that should be going to fund film and television production in South Africa.
While the NFVF's projected legal costs are spiraling, The Comperio Report also found problems with staff appointments and numerous abuses of the NFVF's finances.
Two NFVF council members – Thabiso Masudubele and Pam Mashiane – are accused of flouting international travel regulations, while Phil Molefe allegedly made several high-flying overseas trips from Cannes to China without sign-off by the minister of arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa as is required.
Several questions have been put to the National Film and Video Foundation in a media enquiry about The Comperio Report but Neo Moretlwe, NFVF communications coordinator and Xolelwa Nomgca, marketing and communications manager, despite asking several times, somehow didn't provide specific answers. The NFVF was asked what its response is to the Comperio report that found that NFVF executives and NFVF council members took
family members to Sun City for the Saftas at taxpayer’s expense. The NFVF was asked why this happened and will this continue to happen? No response. The NFVF was asked its response about NFVF council members like Thabiso Masudubele and Pam Mashiane who allegedly broke
international travel regulations and for instance flying first class. No response. The NFVF is supposed to help and
support the local SA film and TV industry and was asked of the NFVF is worried that the image of
NFVF executives and council members and news about luxury local and foreign
trips and stays, and taking family members along is damaging the NFVF’s image
within the industry, with media and with the public? The NFVF was also asked what its is doing to improve its image? No response.
The NFVF was also asked how the NFVF quantify the
value or the return of investment (ROI) when people are flown internationally? How
did the NFVF work out the return on investment it got from people and media who
were invited to stay at Sun City for this year’s Saftas and what was the press
coverage of media who were invited and stayed at NFVF expense?
No response.
The NFVF was also asked if its budget for legal
spending of R85 000 has been changed to R1.35 million and if so, why?
No response.
The NFVF sent a quote, attributable to Shadrack Bokaba, NFVF acting CEO, stating that "the NFVF has undergone numerous changes, all investigations have
been completed and recommendations are being implemented".
"The work of developing and providing funding to filmmakers has never
ceased, and the focus now is to stabilise the organisation to continue
fulfilling our mandate. Budget allocation towards all activities is informed by past
trends, accompanied by a precautionary increase."
The NFVF was asked several times which of the questions the statement is the answer to, and where the other answers are, but there has been no response. If the NFVF respond with the other answers and where the one answer received fits, it will be added here.
The SABC that struggles to pay independent production companies and owes producers millions of rands in outstanding fees on Thursday said existing content funding bodies in South Africa should focus less on financing local films and put a bigger emphasis on giving cash to TV producers.
Bongumusa Makhathini, SABC chairperson, who spoke at the Public Broadcasting Colloquium held at the Gallagher Convention Centre, said funding organisations should be consolidated and that more money should be given to independent television producers since most money is going to film production.
The SABC itself owes multiple production companies millions of rands over months and just recorded another annual loss of R622 million, with the public broadcaster's biggest show, Uzalo on SABC1 that just resumed production after it shut down completely for a week due to the SABC's non-payment of producers.
"The SABC believes that there should be a focus on how the existing content funding bodies and mechanisms can be consolidated, strengthened and better resourced in South Africa,"said Bongumusa Makhathini.
"Most of these public funds have been disbursed for feature film production. By providing more funding for independent television producers, content funding bodies will not only share the obligation with the SABC and other broadcasters but will ensure that producers are able to retain a
greater share of the rights, post-initial broadcast."
He said that "the only way to remain relevant and retain large audiences is for the SABC to continue to focus on making excellent television and radio content".
He said the "fees that the SABC should be receiving from other broadcasters for SABC1, SACB2 and SABC3 must become part of a more significant commercial revenue stream for the public broadcaster".
Rugby commentator Ashwin Willemse is out at SuperSport and won't be seen on DStv again after his SuperSport contract wasn't renewed.
It's not clear whether SuperSport didn't offer him a contract extension, or whether he was offered one and refused.
On 19 May DStv subscribers watched transfixed at the live in-studio blow-out between Ashwin Willemse and Nick Mallett and Naas Botha, who walked off set after saying they had "undermined" and "patronised" him.
SuperSport and MultiChoice were engulfed in a firestorm of public opinion, with Naspers' pay-TV division that launched an internal inquiry.
SuperSport and MultiChoice said that the inquiry found no racism but it was one that Ashwin Willemse didn't participate in.
Ashwin Willemse said he didn't want to be a part of the inquiry, and through his lawyers said was a racist incident.
MultiChoice and SuperSport's inquiry did find tension on set in the past between Nick Mallett and Ashwin Willemse, with Nick Mallett who told SuperSport producers that he doesn't want to present with Ashwin Willemse.
Clinton van der Berg, SuperSport spokesperson told TVwithThinus on Thursday that "Ashwin
Willemse’s contract with SuperSport has expired and he will not be back on air".
"We have not heard from the Equality Court. We are in communication with the South African Human Rights Commission. We referred advocate Maleka SC’s report to the
Commission, in accordance with one of his recommendations following his
independent review of the matter."
The SABC on Thursday called for a massive overhaul of the SABC TV Licence fee including an increase in the mandatory R265 annual fee payable by South African TV set owners, stricter penalities, and for insurance companies and pay-TV operators like MultiChoice to be forced help and to "report" on their clients.
Bongumusa Makhathini, SABC chairperson, who spoke at the Public Broadcasting Colloquium held at the Gallagher Convention Centre, said the SABC TV Licence fee system needs to be overhauled and that licence fees needs to be increased.
In May 2017 the disgraced former SABC acting CEO James Aguma before he quit, told parliament the SABC wants the Broadcasting Act changed so that people are required to have a SABC TV licence for devices like tablets, mobile phones and computers, and wanted MultiChoice to be forced to collect licence fees on behalf of the SABC as part of DStv subscriber fee billing.
On Wednesday the SABC again called for a broadening of the definition of what constitutes a "TV set", and for insurance companies and pay-TV operators like MultiChoice to help collect TV licence fees.
The SABC wants digital personal video recorders (PVRs), set-top boxes (STBs) and TV satellite dishes included - devices that fascilitate broadcast over analogue or digital broadcast platforms.
Less than a third of South Africa's TV households bother paying a TV licence fee with the broadcaster that told parliament two weeks ago that people who get a TV set pay initially, but that the SABC has a big problem with "repeat" payers - households who never pay again.
On Thursday Bongumusa Makhathini said "the SABC strongly believes that an overhauled TV Licence Fee system can go some way to funding the public broadcasting mandate".
He said "TV licence fees still remain the second largest source of revenue for the SABC but we need to rebase the fee and strengthen the collection of this revenue."
"The SABC’s TV licence fee of R265 has remained unchanged since 2013. Currently the SABC TV licence fee costs an average of 72c a day for citizens who pay. In September 2018 I think we
can all agree that there is very little if anything you can buy for 72c a day."
"There are currently only approximately 1,8 million paying television households and businesses
out of a total of 9 million accounts on the SABC database," Bongumusa Makhathini said.
"While 1,8 million paying accounts is a relatively small percentage, we believe that a credible, trusted and properly run public broadcaster, can create a culture of increased TV licence payment."
"The SABC has submitted that a new, broadened definition of television set should be included in the Broadcasting Act. In order to enforce greater compliance on the payment of licence fees we
believe reporting obligations should be broadened to include insurance companies and pay-TV operators," said Bongumusa Makhathini.
"The SABC also recommends stricter enforcement and penalties for nonpayment
of licence fees."
He said "the only way to remain relevant and retain large audiences is for the SABC to continue to focus on making excellent television and radio content".
Giuliana Rancic (44) has made her return to E! News as co-anchor next to Jason Kennedy (36) saying she wants to be part again of the rapidly changing landscape of entertainment news reporting.
Giuliana Rancic said she has many ideas for E! News that is fighting to remain relevant just like every other platform covering entertainment news, in the rapidly evolving, changing and highly competitive news sphere due to social media.
In a funny skit she filmed to herald her return to the nightly entertainment news show at 19:05 on E! Entertainment (DStv 124), she arrived at 10 Universal City Plaza, the building that the channel from NBCUniversal International Networks relocated to during her absence but gets blocked since she doesn't have an access card.
Once inside she takes a selfie but disguises it as doing facetime with Duke. Driven to studio with a golf cart she notes how "I didn't even have time to do an insta-story".
Giuliana Rancic - married to Bill Rancic and whose son is now 6 - then finds Jason Kennedy, doing "vocal warm-ups" but actually channeling Cardi B's iconic "Oh, grrrrrr" chirping noises.
During her first show back Jason Kennedy also surprised her with a Sky call from her former co-anchor Ryan Seacrest, with Giuliana Rancic who said "it's good to be back".
Giuliana Rancic and Jason Kennedy will co-host E!'s red carpet coverage of the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards live from midnight on Tuesday 18 September until M-Net (DStv 101) broadcast the awards ceremony live from 02:00 in South Africa.
"It's exciting. It's just been over three years since my last day at E! News and now here I am again," Giuliana Rancic told E!'s Daily Pop show.
"When the opportunity came up, obviously we thought long and hard because our lives are great. Bill is very, very supportive of me and my dreams and career and so we work together as a family to make it happen. And I would do the same for Bill if Bill had an opportunity that come up that he wants to do."
Entertainment news changing
She told Us Weekly that she took a break and "I've been there a long time, it was definitely my home and I stayed on with E! for red carpets and specials and Royal Weddings but it was just time to move to Chicago where my husband is from and we have restaurants there."
"So my son was starting school and we've always had that understanding that when it's time for Duke to start school we'll move to Chicago. And so that's what we did. It was also a time to be a mom and a wife and a friend but also I had these other businesses I've been working on."
"And to take them to the next level you need focus. You need to put time and effort into them and so that's what I did for the past three years and also grew some of the other businesses as well."
Giuliana Rancic said returning to E! News "took a lot of conversation between my husband and I" and that "we wanted to make sure that it was the right decision for everyone - this isn't just about me, it's also about my family".
"Having been gone for three years, it's interesting. I've been a viewer for three years - and not just E! News, the other entertainment news shows, digital. I've had time to watch, and I had time to really watch as a viewer watches, instead of being on the other side."
"And I have had just so many ideas especially the past year of just different ways we could be doing stuff - all of us. So it's really interesting going in with this new perspective, having been away."
"I feel like the landscape is changing so much with news and entertainment news, that how can I be a part of this and bring something fresh and new to people?"
The White House political drama series Designated Survivor with Kiefer Sutherland has been renewed for a third season on Netflix.
The series that was shown on ABC in America, but was seen outside of the US and Canada on Netflix, was cancelled in May, but has now been fully taken over by the global streaming service who renewed it for another season.
Netflix has now decided to take over the drama series with a 10-episode third season order that will become available in 2019 and with production set to start later this year in Toronto where the show is being filmed. Neal Baer is taking over as the new showrunner - the 5th for the show.
As a Netflix original production and now with Entertainment One as the sole producer, ABC Studios is no longer involved and the episode season order has been cut in half.
Designated Survivor's core cast will all return including Kal Penn, Adan Canto and Italia Ricci, with Maggie Q in negotiations to join the show.
"Timely and gripping, Designated Survivor has quickened the pulses of our Netflix members outside the US and Canada in its first two seasons," says Bela Bajaria, Netflix vice president for content. "The international audience for the show drove our interest to bring the show to the world as a Netflix original for its third season and we are excited to bring the first 2 seasons to our US and Canadian members as well".
"The continuation of the show via Netflix is a win-win for all involved," says eOne president and executive producer Mark Gordon. "The story of president Kirkman and those around him has not been fully told and we look forward to working with our new partner in continuing the show for a global audience."
"When season 3 picks up, Kirkman will face a political reality - campaigning. What does it take to make a leader? What price will he be willing to pay? Democracy, as we know it, will hang in the balance," says Netflix announcing the 3rd season pick-up. "This new season will explore today’s world of campaigning, smear tactics, debates, campaign finance and 'fake news'."
Kiefer Sutherland in the statement says "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to play president Kirkman for season 3 of Designated Survivorwith Netflix, eOne and Neal Baer. I believe this format will allow us to continue to delve deeply into storylines and issues concerning the American electorate that were not previously possible."
Stained Glass TV, the production company responsible for Uzalo on SABC1 and who have been asked to take over running the imploded Uselwa that shut down after production mismanagement, is holding open auditions on Thursday and Friday 6 and 7 September, for a new Zulu drama series it is producing for Mzansi Magic (DStv 161).
Stained Glass is specifically looking for men and women between 20 and 30 who can dance, and then also for Zulu-speaking male and female actors between 18 and 65.
Stained Glass TV is producing a new drama series in KwaZulu-Natal, similar to Uzalo on SABC1 and e.tv's Imbewu: The Seed.
The auditions on Thursday and Friday are open to any aspiring or seasoned Zulu-speaking South African person between 18 and 65 for acting roles, and performers between 20 and 30 who can both sing and dance.
Open auditions are taking place on 6 and 7 September 2018 at the Ekhaya Multi-Arts Centre, No. 25 Giya Road in KwaMashu between 08:00 and 16:00 on both days.
People will have to prepare a monologue in Zulu for the audition. People who pass the first round will have to audition with a specifically written script that will be provided on the day. People who want to audition need to take their South African smart ID card or green bar coded ID with them for positive identification.
Amazon Prime Video is adding a new 4-part documentary series, entitled Pistorius, available from Thursday 6 September in South Africa and 200 other countries, about the convicted killer Ocar Pistorius who gunned down his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013.
Originally made as a feature film, Amazon Prime Video decided to split it as individual, hour-long episodes,produced out of over more than 2 000 hours of footage.
Pistorius, directed by Vaughan Sivell and produced over 3 years, explores the tragedy of the killing of Reeva Steenkamp, the events that led up to her death, and what happened afterwards.
Oscar Pistorius, currently in prison, was convicted of killing Reeva Steenkamp and in 2015 his conviction was changed from culpable homicide to murder and his prison sentence extended.
In PistoriusVaughan Sivell got some exclusive access to some of the key characters who appeared during and around the trial that was played out on live television in South Africa, like for instance TV journalist Debora Patta; Aimee Pistorius, Oscar's sister; journalist Karyn Maughan, commentator David O'Sullivan, Oscar Pistorius' brother, cousin as well as aunt and uncles; his prosthetist and some neighbours; former team mates; forensic investigator David Klatzow; prosecution lawyer Gerrie Nel; and defence lawyer Kelly Phelps, as well as others.
People like the Steenkamp family declined to be interviewed. Pistorius was filmed in South Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom and Italy with Kew Media that made a deal with Amazon Studios for Pistorius.
