‘Your Approach Inappropriate’ — S’African Presidency Replies Fani-Kayode Over Livestream Protest

The South African Presidency has criticised Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the country, Femi Fani-Kayode, over his complaint that his speech was excluded from the livestream of a diplomatic ceremony attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson to the South African President, accused Fani-Kayode of misrepresenting the circumstances surrounding the incident and wrongly suggesting that Ramaphosa intervened in the operations of the country’s public broadcaster.

Fani-Kayode had presented his letters of credence to Ramaphosa on Friday, November 13, alongside ambassadors from 14 other countries at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Tshwane, Gauteng.

The ceremony was streamed on the South African Presidency’s YouTube channel. However, the broadcast appeared to experience a technical interruption while French Ambassador Antoine Michon was delivering his address. Fani-Kayode was scheduled to speak immediately afterwards, but the livestream switched to Ramaphosa addressing the diplomats.

The Nigerian envoy subsequently complained on his X account, alleging that his introduction and speech were deliberately excluded from the broadcast. He also said he raised the matter directly with Ramaphosa, who took him to relevant officials and directed them to address the issue.

Fani-Kayode further disclosed that he declined an interview request from the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) because of what he described as the treatment of the Nigerian delegation.

Responding to the complaint, Magwenya said Ramaphosa had no involvement in the operational affairs of public broadcasters and did not intervene on Fani-Kayode’s behalf.

He explained that the President merely referred the Nigerian envoy to Sophie Mokoena, the SABC’s acting political and foreign editor, whom he described as the appropriate person to address the complaint.

Magwenya also claimed that Fani-Kayode declined to speak with Mokoena, who could have clarified the circumstances surrounding the broadcast interruption.

“The SABC is a public broadcaster. The President carries no legal or political mandate to interfere with its operations or intervene in its editorial processes,” he said.

The presidential spokesperson further described the envoy’s handling of the disagreement as inappropriate.

“Frankly, your approach in this regard on a minor operational issue which you misunderstood was grossly inappropriate,” Magwenya added.

He urged Fani-Kayode to engage with the SABC and establish a relationship based on mutual respect and professionalism as he begins his diplomatic assignment.

Meanwhile, the South African Presidency subsequently uploaded a separate video featuring Fani-Kayode’s speech on its YouTube channel.

In his address, the Nigerian envoy pledged to strengthen diplomatic and economic relations between Nigeria and South Africa, recalling Nigeria’s support for the country during its struggle against apartheid.

The exchange has drawn attention to the handling of the broadcast interruption and the diplomatic engagement between the Nigerian envoy and South African officials.