JOHANNESBURG - The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on Friday announced that Robert Marawa will return to the SABC Radio after the conclusion of the 2018 FIFA World Cup on the 16th of July.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup, will be taking place from Thursday, 14 June to Sunday, 15 July 2018 live from Russia.
SABC Spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said a deal has been concluded that will see Marawa do an extended simulcast show on both Metro FM and 2000 FM between 6pm and 8pm weeknights.
"SABC is also pleased to announce its talent for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Thomas Mlambo, Mpho Maboi, Andile Ncube, Lebo Motsoeli and Romy Titus will be the TV anchors during the tournament, who will be assisted by the best local football analysts in the likes of Siphiwe Mkhonza, Phumudzo Manenhze, Marc Lewis,Duane Dell’Oca, .. Teko Modise, Doctor Khumalo, Jomo Sono, Rhulani Mokoena, Steve Khompela, Pitso Mosimane," Kganyago said.
#KuzobaLit will be the theme that will be driving the SABC campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The SABC invites its audiences and football loving supporters in South Africa to join the world in watching the greatest story unfolding on a global stage.
"To enable the millions of SABC audiences to consume the matches in the language of their choice, SABC has lined 12 radio stations to broadcast the matches live. The SABC will for the first time be enabling the Khoi and San communities the opportunity to have the world cup matches broadcast in the! Xun and Khwe dialect on XK-FM," Kganyago said.
"In line with the SABC key strategic pillar of delivering the best commentary in all 11 languages, the SABC radio talent will include a pool of sport commentators in the likes of Phalaphala FM’s Sydney Mashige, Motsweding FM’s Brian Letsogo, Ligwalagwala FM’s Sabelo Zulu, Umhlobo Wenene FM’s Thando Gqamane, Ukhozi FM’s Joe Hudla and RSG’s Johann Roussow,amongst the talent lined up for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia."
He said that Sport at 10 and Soccerzone will broadcast an episode each on the 4th and 9th of July. The productions will take a four week break, returning to the screens on the 16th and 18th of July 2018 respectively.
"SABC 1’s key shows will for the duration of the 2018 FIFA World Cup be relocated to sister channels Generations-The Legacy: on SABC 3 at 8pm (weekdays), Skeem Saam: on SABC 2 at 6.30pm (weekdays) and Uzalo: on SABC 2 at 8.30pm (weekdays)," he said.
"The SABC is also pleased to announce that its television channels, SABC 1 and SABC 3 will start to broadcast in High Definition (HD) from Monday, the 11th of June 2018 and SABC 2 will follow suit after the FIFA World Cup in July 2018."
Kganyago said that they will introduce HD to ensure that viewers enjoy picture quality that is clearer and crisper than it previously was with the normal Standard Definition (SD).
The accessibility of SABC in HD will in the interim only be available to viewers who watch SABC programmes through the DStv and Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) platforms. This conversion is in preparation for the nationwide migration of all free-to-air analogue broadcasting to DTT.
The conversion to HD could not have come at a more perfect time, on the eve of the world’s biggest television spectacle