SABC board chair Bongumusa Makhathini denies editorial meddling

SABC board chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini has denied that he tried to interfere in editorial matters on two occasions.

Sacked SABC head of news Phathiswa Magopeni laid a grievance against Makhathini and CEO Madoda Mxakwe over the two incidents.

One relates to a phone call Makhathini made last year to Magopeni about an interview with President Cyril Ramaphosa. The other  relates to the coverage of the Zulu royal family succession debacle which had gone to court.

But in both instances, Makhathini denies wrongdoing and questioned the timing of the lodging of the grievance.

Magopeni laid the grievance after the SABC started a disciplinary process against her over the airing of an episode of investigative TV show Special Assignment. She has since been sacked by the public broadcaster.

“As I understand this complaint, Magopeni accuses me of attempting to coerce the SABC into interviewing the president of the ANC and the Republic of South Africa Mr Ramaphosa. Her complaint is unsubstantiated and without merit,” said Makhathini.

He, however, confirmed having called Magopeni after he was informed by Mxakwe that the SABC was not going to do an interview with Ramaphosa, who at the time was on his way to the SABC offices in Polokwane.

According to his affidavit, he had been informed by Mxakwe that Magopeni refused the interview for procedural reasons after she had previously complained about the unavailability of Ramaphosa for interviews with the public broadcaster.

“At no time during our conversation did I threaten her independence. I was simply trying to understand her rationale. When she insisted that she stood by her decision, I accepted that and communicated accordingly to avoid what appeared to me to be a looming incident which would cause embarrassment to the SABC and the president.

“There is nothing sinister in this. I at all times acted in the best interests of the SABC,” said Makhathini.

He denied that when he said to Magopeni they had worked together successfully for four years, it was an attempt to pressure her and blackmail her to engage in wrongdoing.

“The proper context with which my comment should be viewed is that I was trying to reinforce that I had supported the independence of her role from the outset and there was nothing sinister in my questioning her decision not to interview the president,” he said.

Regarding the Zulu royal succession, Makhathini said he had asked Magopeni whether she had seen the will of the late king Goodwill Zwelithini, which had been part of the court case.

Makhathini said Magopeni requested that he send her the will, which he did.

On another occasion, Makhathini said, he shared an embargoed statement from the royal family with Magopeni.

On both the occasions Magopeni did not take issue with him sharing the information.

“The incident took place in or about the beginning of June 2021. That Magopeni only now, after [being] charged, takes issue with my conduct is of itself telling,” said Makhathini.

If the issue of the will constituted unbearable pressure on her editorial independence, she would have raised it at the time.

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