SABC’s Mangaung muzzling ends in tears

Metro FM Talk host Sakina Kamwendo

Metro FM Talk host Sakina Kamwendo

Published Dec 5, 2012

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Johannesburg - An SABC radio show host is reported to have cried on air and played music longer than usual after she was apparently instructed to can a debate with journalists.

Listeners who called in to Talk Radio 702 on Tuesday night said Metro FM Talk host Sakina Kamwendo had announced earlier in her show that she was going to have a discussion on political events leading up to Mangaung with three print journalists.

One of the guests, Sunday Times political editor Sithembiso Msomi, later tweeted: “There is no explanation given. We were outside the studio when the instruction came that we can’t be on radio.”

Msomi’s earlier tweet read: “Someone at SABC has just decided that myself, [Business Day political editor] Sam Mkokeli and [Financial Mail Southern Africa Bureau Chief] Andrew England are not supposed to be on Metro FM to discuss Mangaung and media.”

England tweeted that the three of them were outside the studio when there was a phone call just before they went on air.

Meanwhile, on Talk Radio 702,

one caller said he was surprised when Kamwendo played music for about 15 minutes when it was expected that the debate would get under way.

He said Kamwendo had later cried on air and announced that she was not going to have journalists discussing Mangaung any more and opened the lines for calls.

SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said on Tuesday night he was not aware of the incident and declined to comment.

The Star

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