South African Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has publicly responded to allegations by Nigeria's High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, that President Cyril Ramaphosa deliberately excluded his speech from a livestream of a diplomatic ceremony in Pretoria. Magwenya stated that Ramaphosa had no involvement in the broadcast disruption, calling it an operational matter rather than a deliberate attempt to silence Nigeria. The incident occurred during the presentation of letters of credence by Fani-Kayode and 14 other ambassadors at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Tshwane, Gauteng.
According to Magwenya, the broadcast disruption happened while French ambassador Antoine Michon was delivering his address, and the livestream switched to Ramaphosa addressing the ambassadors rather than continuing with individual speeches. Fani-Kayode had claimed that the South African Presidency deliberately excluded the introduction of the Nigerian delegation and his speech from the livestream. He stated that all 15 ambassadors were formally introduced and allowed to address the gathering, but Nigeria was the only country whose presentation and speech were omitted from the broadcast.
Magwenya disputed Fani-Kayode's allegations, stressing that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) operates as a public broadcaster with independent editorial processes. He maintained that Ramaphosa has neither the legal authority nor political mandate to interfere with the operations and editorial decisions of the SABC. Magwenya described Fani-Kayode's reaction as inappropriate and accused him of misunderstanding the circumstances surrounding the interruption.
The presidential spokesperson also revealed that Fani-Kayode declined an opportunity to speak with Sophie Mokoena, a former international news editor at SABC News, who could have clarified the circumstances surrounding the broadcast disruption. Magwenya urged Fani-Kayode to engage directly with the broadcaster and establish a professional working relationship during his diplomatic assignment.
Magwenya explained that he chose to address Fani-Kayode publicly because the Nigerian envoy had wrongly implicated Ramaphosa in an incident in which he had no involvement. He expressed regret for having to address the issue publicly but felt duty-bound to clarify the misrepresentation of facts.
The exchange between Magwenya and Fani-Kayode has rekindled diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and South Africa. The incident has raised concerns about the relationship between the two countries and the potential impact on future diplomatic interactions.
The South African government has reiterated that Ramaphosa had no role in the broadcast disruption and that the incident was an operational issue. The government has encouraged Fani-Kayode to work with the SABC to resolve any future issues and to establish a professional relationship with the broadcaster.
Key points
- South Africa's Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya accused Nigeria's High Commissioner Femi Fani-Kayode of wrongly linking President Cyril Ramaphosa to a broadcast disruption during a diplomatic ceremony.
- The incident occurred during the presentation of letters of credence by Fani-Kayode and 14 other ambassadors at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Tshwane, Gauteng.
- Magwenya stated that the SABC operates as a public broadcaster with independent editorial processes, and Ramaphosa has no authority to interfere with its operations.
