South African Presidency Rebukes Fani-Kayode Over Complaint About Livestream, Urges Nigerian Envoy To Respect Boundaries
South African Presidency Rebukes Fani-Kayode Over Complaint About Livestream, Urges Nigerian Envoy To Respect Boundaries
Magwenya said Fani-Kayode had falsely referenced President Ramaphosa in a matter over which the South African leader had no involvement, stressing that the President neither intervened on the ambassador’s behalf nor had the authority to interfere in the operations of the country’s public broadcaster.
Vincent Magwenya, the spokesperson to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, has publicly rebuked Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, over his handling of a dispute involving the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), urging him to engage constructively with South African institutions and respect the country’s constitutional principles.
Magwenya said Fani-Kayode had falsely referenced President Ramaphosa in a matter over which the South African leader had no involvement, stressing that the President neither intervened on the ambassador’s behalf nor had the authority to interfere in the operations of the country’s public broadcaster.
The exchange followed concerns raised by Fani-Kayode after he questioned President Ramaphosa over the removal or cutting of a video clip in which he was addressing the South African leader during a livestream.
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Reacting publicly to the ambassador’s concerns, Magwenya expressed regret that he had to address Fani-Kayode through a public platform but said it had become necessary because the Nigerian envoy had allegedly misrepresented the President’s involvement in the matter.
“Your Excellency, I deeply regret that I have to address you through a public platform. However, now that you have falsely referenced the President on a matter he has no involvement in, I’m duty bound to clarify your misrepresentation of facts,” Magwenya stated.
He explained that President Ramaphosa does not intervene in operational matters concerning public broadcasters in South Africa, insisting that the President had not intervened on Fani-Kayode’s behalf.
According to Magwenya, Ramaphosa had only directed the Nigerian ambassador to Sophie Mokoena, whom he identified as the appropriate person to address the complaint.
“In South Africa the President does not intervene on operational matters at the public broadcasters, neither did he intervene on your behalf. He simply pointed you to @Sophie_Mokoena who was the most appropriate person to raise your grievance with,” he said.
Magwenya further alleged that Fani-Kayode declined to engage with Mokoena, who, according to him, could have clarified the misunderstanding surrounding the matter.
“Your Excellency, you refused to speak to @Sophie_Mokoena who would have cleared the misunderstanding with you. I would encourage you, that as you start your tenure in South Africa you meet with SABC to forge a mutually beneficial, respectful and professional relationship,” the presidential spokesperson added.
He also emphasised that the South African Broadcasting Corporation is a public broadcaster whose editorial and operational independence must be respected, noting that President Ramaphosa has neither the legal nor political authority to interfere in its activities.
“The SABC is a public broadcaster. The President carries no legal or political mandate to interfere with its operations or intervene in its editorial processes,” Magwenya stated.
Describing Fani-Kayode’s approach to the disagreement as inappropriate, Magwenya said the ambassador had misunderstood what he characterised as a minor operational issue.
“Frankly, your approach in this regard on a minor operational issue which you misunderstood was grossly inappropriate.
“I wish you well on your tenure and I hope you begin to engage the various aspects of South African society and its constitutional tenets constructively,” he said.
Earlier, Femi Fani-Kayode accused the South African Presidency of deliberately excluding Nigeria’s delegation from the livestream of a presidential ceremony in Pretoria, alleging that his introduction and speech were deliberately omitted while those of 14 other ambassadors were broadcast.
Fani-Kayode made this known in a statement posted on his official X handle on Friday, following a ceremony at the South African Presidential Guest House in Pretoria, where he formally presented his letters of credence to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
According to the former Nigerian Minister of Aviation, the ceremony, which brought together ambassadors from 15 countries, was livestreamed by the South African Presidency and watched by millions of people in Nigeria, South Africa and other parts of the international community.
However, he said that Nigeria was the only country whose ambassadorial introduction and speech were excluded from the broadcast.
