The South African presidency has responded to claims by Femi Fani-Kayode, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the country, alleging that his speech was cut off while presenting his letters of credence to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson to President Ramaphosa, said Fani-Kayode misrepresented the situation and falsely referenced the president as an intervening authority in the matter.
Fani-Kayode presented his letters of credence alongside 14 other envoys on Friday at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Tshwane, Gauteng.
The South African presidency livestreamed the ceremony on YouTube.
However, the livestream appeared to suffer a glitch while Antoine Michon, the French Ambassador to South Africa, whom Fani-Kayode was scheduled to speak after, was delivering his speech. The broadcast subsequently cut to Ramaphosa addressing the ambassadors.
Fani-Kayode publicly expressed his grievances in a lengthy post on X, saying he raised the issue directly with Ramaphosa who, “in fairness to him,” took him to the “relevant officials and acted with despatch.”
The diplomat said he turned down an interview offer from SABC News, the South African state broadcaster, “as a consequence of the deplorable way we were treated.”
South African Presidency Responds
Magwenya said Fani-Kayode referenced Ramaphosa on a matter in which he had no involvement.
“In South Africa the President does not intervene on operational matters at the public broadcasters, neither did he intervene on your behalf,” he said.
Magwenya said Ramaphosa only directed Fani-Kayode to Sophie Mokoena, SABC’s acting political and foreign editor, who was the most appropriate person to raise his grievance with.
He said the High Commissioner refused to speak to Mokoena, who would have cleared the misunderstanding.
“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 added.
“Frankly, your approach in this regard on a minor operational issue which you misunderstood was grossly inappropriate.”
The presidential spokesman urged Fani-Kayode to meet with the SABC to forge a “mutually beneficial, respectful and professional relationship” as he begins his tenure.
“I wish you well on your tenure and I hope you begin to engage the various aspects of South African society and its constitutional tenets constructively.”
Hours after Fani-Kayode’s post, the South African presidency uploaded a separate video featuring his speech on its YouTube channel.
