HIS MASTER'S VOICE

He was described as the "axeman" of the SABC, having being instrumental in getting rid of Max du Preez (journalist), Sarah Crowe (former head of TV current affairs), Jill Chisholm, Joe Thloloe (former editor-in-chief of TV news), Ivan Fynn (former head of TV news), Allister Sparks (another former editor-in-chief of TV news), Barney Mthomboti (former editor in chief of radio news), Govan Reddy, Ami Nanackchand and Ida Jooste. All victims at the SABC in Sithole's march to the top. Finally, at the end of March 2000, news boss Enoch Sithole also had to quit.
Sithole, who was the SABC's chief executive of news operations, claimed on his CV (and the SABC's web site) that he has a BA degree from the Eduardo Mondlane University  in Maputo, Mozambique. The claim is repeated in the millennium edition of Who's Who in South Africa. But his lawyer admitted that he does not. The university itself said "We cannot find his name anywhere. It would appear that he never attended our university."
What's more, his claim to South African citizenship is being investigated by the Department of Home Affairs. The former director-general of Home Affairs, Albert Mokoena, quit in September 1999 after he was found guilty of misconduct and corruption when it was discovered that documents went missing. Sithole's file does not contain any birth certificate or any registration of birth. There are no supporting documents from his parents to vouch for his birth in South Africa. Yet, between 1988 and 1999 Sithole was issued five SA passports.
Sam Sithole, a teacher at the Sithokotile High School in Matsulu, near Nelspruit which Enoch Sithole attended, said: "It was common knowledge that Enoch was a Mozambican".
Juliet Miyabo, a former fiancée who brought Sithole into the SABC and now involved in a paternity suit with him over a six-month-old baby, denied she had reported him to Home Affairs because he had jilted her.
The SABC suspended Sithole and ordered him to return his access card, a cellphone and other company equipment. The SABC's chief executive, the Rev Hawu Mbatha, said: "If Sithole does not produce proof of his academic qualification, then the SABC will withdraw its acceptance of his resignation".

The Chairperson of the SABC Board of Control, Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, nominated herself for re-appointment to the board in 1996 when the term of office of the previous one came to an end. She subsequently phoned the office of the Minister for Broadcasting to make sure that they had in fact received her nomination.
Dr Matsepe-Casaburri was not appointed to the new SABC Board, having been "redeployed" by the ANC when she was appointed premier of the Free State.

SLIPS OF THE TONGUE

When detailing the performance of SA's Olympic rowers in Atlanta during 1996, Jane Hicks reported on those who were eliminated as the "women's cockless pairs".
In a TV news report on the visit of the Dutch queen Beatrix during October 1996, her husband was identified as Prince Carl.
Trevor Quirk, SABC commentator, at the Summer Games in Atlanta, draws viewers' attention to Mr and Mrs Bill Clinton: "There's Jimmy Carter and Hilary".
Edwill van Aarde, during a cricket commetary on TV: "We welcome all our blind viewers".
Mike Haylsman: "The Indians have continued their good form as Honrad ... Honrad ... Conrand Hunte said, they are in an unbeatable situation".

SABC TIMING

The SABC offered a halaal staff luncheon at noon during the middle of the month of Ramadan in 1996.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

Programmers at SABC-TV continually find new ways to scrape the bottom of the barrel with tired old programmes. On the schedule in January 1997 appeared: "12.30: What's New: Repeat".

THE LATE, LATE NEWS

The SABC was biting the bullet and fighting its way of of the financial crisis which threatened the very existence of the national broadcaster early. In pursuit of a glorious vision for a brighter, happier, more prosperous and efficient future, a council of war in the form of a bosberaad was scheduled in March 1997.
In attendance were some 30 departemental heads, other senior officials, trade union representatives and members of the McKinsey financial management team which has produced the battle-plan for the corporation's survival. Not in attendance was the corporation's chief executive officer, Zwelakhe Sisulu. He telephone at 09:15 to announce he was lost. After being given detailed directions to the venue, he finally arrived ... three hours late.

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

As a result of a newscast by the SABC, it was announced by Enoch Sithole, head of the SABC's communications department, that staff from the former TBVC broadcasters - Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda an Ciskei - are NOT going to be absorbed into the SABC.
"Our TV news got it wrong. They always get it wrong. They are so emotional about it", Sithole said.

AT LEAST THEY ARE NOT DEAF AS WELL

The Government Gazette published the application for a radio broadcasting service in the Kimberley area, made to the IBA, with the target audience being identified as: "School children, unemployed and employed civil servants who are mainly illiterate".

SABC Chairperson Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri was to attend a conference in Sydney, Australia. En route she got off her airplane at Perth, where it stopped to disembark some passengers and to refuel. Not finding her luggage in the arrivals hall, she phoned her secretary in Johannesburg, accusing her of making bad arrangements. Only when the secretary told her that the luggage would be found in Sydney, where Casaburri herself was supposed to be, did she realise that she was still thousands of kilometres from her destination.

A Nigerian woman was - according to e-tv news - "sentenced to death by adultery".

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