Get Guardian on GoogleSouth Africa’s Presidential Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, has criticised Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, over his allegation that the South African presidency deliberately excluded his speech from the livestream of a ceremony where he presented his letters of credence to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Magwenya, in a public response, described Fani-Kayode’s reaction to the incident as inappropriate, insisting that the South African president had no involvement in the broadcast disruption or authority to interfere with the operations of the country’s public broadcaster.
Fani-Kayode had made the allegation in a lengthy post on his official X account following the presentation of his diplomatic credentials on Friday at the Sefako M. Makgatho presidential guest house in Tshwane, Gauteng.
The Nigerian envoy presented his letters of credence alongside 14 other ambassadors appointed to South Africa, formally marking the commencement of their diplomatic assignments in the country.
The ceremony was broadcast live on YouTube by the South African presidency, with each ambassador expected to deliver a brief address before presenting their letters of credence to Ramaphosa.
However, the livestream appeared to experience a technical disruption while Antoine Michon, the French ambassador to South Africa, was delivering his address.
The broadcast subsequently cut to Ramaphosa addressing the ambassadors instead of continuing with the individual speeches.
Fani-Kayode, who was the last diplomat to present his credentials after Michon, alleged that his speech was deliberately omitted from the broadcast by the South African presidency.
Reacting to the allegation, Magwenya wished the Nigerian envoy well in his diplomatic assignment but urged him to familiarise himself with South Africa’s institutions and constitutional framework.
“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.
Magwenya explained that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is a public broadcaster and that the president has neither the legal nor political mandate to interfere with its operations or editorial processes.
He described Fani-Kayode’s approach to the incident as inappropriate, particularly because, according to him, the Nigerian envoy misunderstood what had happened during the broadcast.
“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. Frankly, your approach in this regard on a minor operational issue which you misunderstood was grossly inappropriate,” Magwenya said.
The presidential spokesperson further disclosed that Fani-Kayode had declined to speak with Sophie Mokoena, a former international news editor at SABC News, who he said could have clarified the circumstances surrounding the broadcast disruption.
He advised the Nigerian envoy to engage with the broadcaster to establish a mutually beneficial and professional relationship during his diplomatic tenure.
“Your Excellency, you refused to speak to Sophie Mokoena, the former international news editor at SABC News, 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,” he added.
Magwenya reiterated that Ramaphosa did not intervene in the broadcaster’s operational affairs or act on Fani-Kayode’s behalf, but merely directed him to Mokoena as the appropriate person to address his concerns.
He maintained that the president was not involved in the matter and had no authority to intervene in the broadcaster’s editorial decisions.
The spokesperson also expressed regret over having to address the Nigerian envoy publicly, explaining that he considered it necessary because Fani-Kayode had allegedly misrepresented the president’s involvement in the incident.
“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,” he said.
