The spokesperson for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Vincent Magwenya, has accused Nigeria’s High Commission in South Africa of spreading falsehoods over claims that the President intervened in the controversy surrounding Ambassador Femi Fani-Kayode’s omitted speech at a diplomatic ceremony.
Magwenya, in a fresh exchange with the Nigerian mission, insisted that Ramaphosa neither intervened in the matter nor had the constitutional authority to interfere with the operations and editorial decisions of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
The dispute followed the Nigerian High Commission’s defence of Fani-Kayode after Magwenya criticised the ambassador’s protest over the omission of his speech from the live broadcast of his presentation of letters of credence.
In a post on X on Friday, Magwenya said he regretted having to address the Nigerian envoy publicly but felt compelled to correct what he described as a misrepresentation of facts.
“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 aspects of South African society and it’s constitutional tenets constructively.”
However, the Nigerian High Commission rejected Magwenya’s position in a response on Saturday, maintaining that Fani-Kayode and Nigeria had been treated with disrespect.
“Our Ambassador, H.E. Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, @realFFK was treated with contempt and disdain and by extension so was Nigeria.
“H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who we have the utmost respect for, did the right thing by intervening. We got the result we wanted. End of story,” the mission said on X.
Magwenya subsequently dismissed the commission’s account, insisting that neither Ramaphosa nor the Presidency had intervened in the broadcaster’s affairs.
“Even when it’s institutionalised, a lie remains a lie. There was no such intervention from the President or the Presidency and there will never be.
“Read our constitution and laws and familiarise yourself with the SABC editorial code. Stop disgracing yourself and your country,” he replied.
The disagreement began on Friday when Fani-Kayode accused the South African Presidency of deliberately excluding Nigeria’s delegation from the livestream of a ceremony where Ramaphosa received letters of credence from 15 ambassadors.
The event, held at the Presidential Guest House in Pretoria, saw the Nigerian envoy protest that the speeches and introductions of 14 other ambassadors were broadcast, while Nigeria’s presentation was left out.
Fani-Kayode claimed the livestream was suspended when it was Nigeria’s turn and resumed only after he had delivered his address.
He later said he confronted Ramaphosa during a photo session after the ceremony, prompting the South African President to summon the officials responsible for the broadcast and direct them to resolve the issue.
“Right there in my presence he questioned them and directed them to resolve the issue immediately. Sadly, by then it was too late and Nigeria had been left out,” the ambassador said.
Fani-Kayode also thanked Ramaphosa for what he described as his timely intervention but expressed disappointment over the incident.
Magwenya, however, maintained that the President merely referred the Nigerian envoy to Sophie Mokoena as the appropriate person to handle his complaint.
He also urged Fani-Kayode to establish a professional relationship with the SABC and familiarise himself with South Africa’s constitutional provisions and broadcasting regulations.
Following the controversy, the South African Presidency published the full video of the ceremony, including Fani-Kayode’s speech, on its YouTube channel.
In his address, the Nigerian ambassador pledged to strengthen relations between Nigeria and South Africa, describing his diplomatic assignment as an opportunity to rebuild ties and address issues of mutual concern.
He also recalled Nigeria’s support for South Africa during the anti-apartheid struggle and called for stronger cooperation between both countries.
