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South African Presidential Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, has accused Nigeria’s High Commissioner, Femi Fani-Kayode, of wrongly linking President Cyril Ramaphosa to the omission of his speech from the livestream of a diplomatic ceremony in Pretoria.
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Magwenya says the broadcast disruption occurred while the French ambassador was delivering his address, insisting that the incident was an operational issue and not a deliberate attempt to exclude Nigeria.
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He maintains that Ramaphosa has neither the legal authority nor political mandate to interfere with the operations and editorial decisions of South Africa’s public broadcaster, SABC.
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The presidential spokesperson faults Fani-Kayode for declining to engage a senior SABC journalist who could have clarified the circumstances surrounding the disruption, urging him to establish a professional relationship with the broadcaster.
November 14, (THEWILL) – South Africa has rejected allegations by Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the country, Femi Fani-Kayode, that officials of the South African Presidency deliberately excluded his speech from the livestream of a diplomatic ceremony attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa, accusing the Nigerian envoy of wrongly linking the South African leader to the incident.
South African Presidential Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said Ramaphosa had no involvement in the broadcast disruption, insisting that the incident was an operational matter and not a deliberate attempt to silence Nigeria.
Magwenya, in a public response to Fani-Kayode, described the envoy’s reaction as inappropriate and accused him of misunderstanding the circumstances surrounding the interruption.
The controversy followed Friday’s presentation of letters of credence by Fani-Kayode and 14 other ambassadors at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Tshwane, Gauteng, formally marking the commencement of their diplomatic assignments in South Africa.
The ceremony was livestreamed on YouTube by the South African Presidency, with the ambassadors expected to deliver brief addresses before presenting their credentials to Ramaphosa.
South Africa Gives Different Account of Broadcast Disruption
Fani-Kayode had alleged in a statement on his official X account that the South African Presidency deliberately excluded the introduction of the Nigerian delegation and his speech from the livestream.
He claimed 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.
According to him, the livestream was cut off when it was time for the Nigerian delegation’s introduction and resumed only after his address had ended.
However, Magwenya disputed the allegation, explaining that the broadcast appeared to have experienced a technical disruption while Antoine Michon, the French ambassador to South Africa, was delivering his address.
The livestream subsequently switched to Ramaphosa addressing the ambassadors rather than continuing with the individual speeches.
Fani-Kayode, who was the last diplomat to present his credentials after Michon, interpreted the omission of his address as a deliberate attempt to exclude Nigeria.
Rejecting any suggestion that Ramaphosa was responsible for the interruption or could direct the broadcaster to alter its coverage, Magwenya stressed that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) operates as a public broadcaster with independent editorial processes.
He maintained that the president had neither the legal authority nor political mandate to interfere with its operations.
“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 said.
He described Fani-Kayode’s handling of the matter as inappropriate, adding that the Nigerian envoy had misunderstood what happened during the broadcast.
“Frankly, your approach in this regard on a minor operational issue which you misunderstood was grossly inappropriate,” he added.
Magwenya further explained that Ramaphosa did not intervene in the broadcaster’s operational affairs or act on Fani-Kayode’s behalf, but merely directed him to Sophie Mokoena, a former international news editor at SABC News, as the appropriate person to address his concerns.
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The presidential spokesperson also disclosed that Fani-Kayode declined an opportunity to speak with Mokoena, who he said could have clarified the circumstances surrounding the broadcast disruption.
He urged the Nigerian envoy to engage directly with the broadcaster and establish a professional working relationship during his diplomatic assignment.
“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, as you start your tenure in South Africa, to meet with SABC to forge a mutually beneficial, respectful and professional relationship,” Magwenya said.
He also explained why he chose to address the Nigerian envoy publicly, saying Fani-Kayode had wrongly implicated the South African president in an incident in which he had no involvement.
“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.
Exchange Rekindles Diplomatic Tensions Between Nigeria, South Africa
The exchange comes against the backdrop of recurring diplomatic concerns between Nigeria and South Africa over xenophobic attacks, the treatment of foreign nationals and the safety of Nigerians living and doing business in the country.
Relations between the two African powers have periodically been strained by attacks on Nigerians and other migrants, as well as disagreements over the protection of foreign nationals.
Fani-Kayode had described the presentation of his credentials as historic, noting that it marked the first posting of a substantive Nigerian ambassador to South Africa in four years.
Following the ceremony, he said he raised his concerns directly with Ramaphosa, who took him to relevant officials, questioned them and directed them to address the matter.
He, however, maintained that the intervention came too late to restore Nigeria’s presentation to the livestream.
The Nigerian envoy also declined an interview request from SABC in protest, saying he would not tolerate any action that disrespected Nigeria or its people.
While expressing appreciation to Ramaphosa for his intervention, Fani-Kayode said he held South Africa and its people in high regard but would not accept any treatment he considered disrespectful to Nigeria’s Government or citizens.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.