Stop disgracing your country, Ramaphosa’s spokesman tackles Nigerian mission

Detailed summary

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, has tackled Nigeria’s mission over a diplomatic row involving Femi Fani-Kayode. Read More:…

The spokesperson for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Vincent Magwenya, has engaged in a fresh exchange with Nigeria’s High Commission in South Africa over the controversy surrounding the omission of Ambassador Femi Fani-Kayode’s speech during a diplomatic ceremony.

Magwenya described the Nigerian mission’s claim that Ramaphosa intervened in the matter as a lie.

He insisted that the South African President had neither the legal authority nor the political mandate to interfere with the operations and editorial decisions of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

The latest exchange followed a response by the Nigerian High Commission to Magwenya’s earlier criticism of Fani-Kayode’s protest over the omission of his speech from the live broadcast of his presentation of letters of credence.

In a response to Fani-Kayode’s statement on Friday, Magwenya said on X, “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.

“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.

“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 SABC is a public broadcaster. The President carries no legal or political mandate to interfere with its operations or intervene in it’s editorial processes. 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…

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