BL Premium reports that SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) group CEO Madoda Mxakwe has lashed out at axed group executive of news and current affairs Phathiswa Magopeni, saying she abused her position, distorted facts and refused to accept responsibility for her actions.
In a strongly worded, 32-page response on Wednesday to Magopeni’s previous statement of grievances, Mxakwe stated that her claims were riddled with “factual inaccuracies, deliberate distortions of known facts” and were made in bad faith to tarnish his reputation. Mxakwe noted that “this erratic and immature behaviour is not becoming of an executive in her position”. In her grievance to the board, dated 29 November, Magopeni stated how Mxakwe and board chair Bongumusa Makhathini allegedly used their influential positions to try to force her to approve an unscheduled interview with ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa ahead of the municipal elections on 1 November. The SABC board has established a special committee to probe whether the board chair had a case of misconduct to answer for and to determine if steps needed to be taken. Magopeni was finally fired by the SABC on Friday after a disciplinary hearing held in January found her guilty of misconduct for failing to prevent the broadcast, airing and publication of an interdicted episode of Special Assignment, an investigative news programme. The axe fell on Magopeni despite disciplinary hearing chair Nazeer Cassim having recommended that she be given a warning.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
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