South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, has criticised Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, over his handling of a disagreement involving the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
Magwenya accused the Nigerian diplomat of misrepresenting President Ramaphosa’s involvement in the controversy surrounding the alleged exclusion of Fani-Kayode’s speech from a livestreamed diplomatic ceremony.
The disagreement followed Fani-Kayode’s complaint that a video segment featuring his introduction and remarks during the presentation of his letters of credence to President Ramaphosa in Pretoria had been omitted from the broadcast.
Responding publicly, Magwenya maintained that the South African President had no involvement in the broadcaster’s editorial decisions and had not intervened on behalf of the Nigerian ambassador.
He explained that South Africa’s constitutional framework guarantees the operational and editorial independence of public broadcasters, preventing the Presidency from interfering in their activities.
According to Magwenya, Ramaphosa merely directed Fani-Kayode to Sophie Mokoena, whom he identified as the appropriate official to address the complaint.
The presidential spokesperson alleged that the Nigerian ambassador declined to engage with Mokoena, despite her ability to clarify the circumstances surrounding the disputed broadcast.
Magwenya expressed regret that the disagreement had to be addressed publicly but insisted that clarification was necessary after what he described as an inaccurate representation of the President’s role.
He advised Fani-Kayode to establish a constructive working relationship with the SABC and other South African institutions as he begins his diplomatic assignment.
The spokesperson also described the ambassador’s response to the incident as inappropriate, arguing that the matter was a minor operational misunderstanding that could have been resolved through direct communication.
Magwenya emphasised that President Ramaphosa had neither the constitutional authority nor the political mandate to influence the SABC’s editorial processes.
He urged the Nigerian envoy to respect South Africa’s institutional independence and constitutional principles while carrying out his diplomatic responsibilities.
The controversy began after Fani-Kayode accused the South African Presidency of deliberately excluding Nigeria’s delegation from the livestream of a diplomatic ceremony held at the Presidential Guest House in Pretoria.
In a statement shared on his official X account on Friday, the former Nigerian Minister of Aviation alleged that his introduction and address were omitted from the broadcast, while those of 14 other ambassadors were shown.
Fani-Kayode said the ceremony involved representatives from 15 countries who formally presented their letters of credence to President Ramaphosa.
He maintained that Nigeria was the only participating country whose ambassadorial introduction and remarks were excluded from the livestream.
The Nigerian diplomat questioned the circumstances surrounding the omission, suggesting that the exclusion was deliberate.
However, Magwenya rejected any suggestion of presidential interference and maintained that the complaint should have been directed to the broadcaster through the appropriate channels.
The public exchange has drawn attention to the disagreement between the Nigerian ambassador and South African officials over the handling of the diplomatic ceremony’s broadcast.
