Livestream row: Your approach grossly inappropriate, South Africa tells Fani-Kayode

The South African presidency has accused Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the country, Femi Fani-Kayode, of mishandling a complaint over the omission of his speech from a diplomatic ceremony livestream, describing his response as “grossly inappropriate”.

The disagreement followed Friday’s presentation of letters of credence by Fani-Kayode and 14 other diplomats to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Tshwane, Gauteng.

The ceremony was streamed on the South African presidency’s YouTube channel, but a technical interruption appeared to occur while French Ambassador Antoine Michon was speaking, shortly before Fani-Kayode’s turn.

The broadcast subsequently switched to footage of Ramaphosa addressing the diplomats, leaving the Nigerian envoy’s speech out of the livestream.

Fani-Kayode later expressed displeasure over the incident on his X account, saying he had raised the matter with Ramaphosa, who took him to relevant officials and acted promptly.

He also disclosed that he declined an interview request from the South African Broadcasting Corporation, saying it was because of “the deplorable way we were treated”.

However, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, rejected the suggestion that the president intervened in the matter, insisting that the South African leader had no authority over the operations or editorial decisions of public broadcasters.

“In South Africa, the President does not intervene on operational matters at the public broadcasters, neither did he intervene on your behalf,” Magwenya said.

He explained that Ramaphosa had directed Fani-Kayode to Sophie Mokoena, SABC’s acting political and foreign editor, to address his concerns.

Magwenya further alleged that the Nigerian envoy declined to engage with Mokoena, who could have explained the circumstances surrounding the 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 added.

The presidential spokesperson also criticised Fani-Kayode’s handling of the disagreement, arguing that the envoy had misunderstood what was a minor operational issue.

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

He urged Fani-Kayode to engage with the South African Broadcasting Corporation and other institutions constructively, stressing the need for mutual respect and professionalism during his diplomatic assignment.

“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,” Magwenya added.

The South African presidency later published a separate video of Fani-Kayode’s speech on its YouTube channel, hours after the envoy raised his complaint.