Swazi Observer

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â€˜SGCOKOâ€™ BACK AS SWAZI TV CEO

By Sisho Magagula | 2018-07-11

FOLLOWING weeks of public speculation, Bongani Austin Dlamini has officially bounced back as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Eswatini TV (formerly Swazi TV).

Dlamini’s re-engagement as the head-honcho of the national television broadcaster was announced by the station’s Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Carol Ngcobo yesterday during a press conference at Sibane hotel.

Dlamini, who is popularly known as ‘Sgcokosiyancinca’, was also present during the announcement of his re-engagement. Throughout the announcement, he did not say a word but remained silent next to the chairperson, as she made the declaration, while other board members and executive members listened attentively.

Ngcobo said Dlamini’s re-engagement was with immediate effect and would run for a period of three years.

“It is with great pleasure for me as the Eswatini Television Authority board chairperson and the entire board of directors to announce the re-engagement of Mr Bongani Austin Dlamini as the substantive Chief Executive Officer of Eswatini Television Authority. Mr Dlamini’s re-engagement is with immediate effect and shall be for a period of three years,” she said. Ngcobo said Sgcoko brought a wealth of experience and knowledge in the broadcasting industry, as he was not new to the task.

“He is not new to this task and, therefore, brings with him valuable and pragmatic experience to Eswatini Television Authority. On behalf of the Eswatini Television Board of Directors, management and staff, we welcome the chief executive officer and pledge our support to him and the office of the chief executive officer as he carries out the mammoth responsibilities of the office, as well as the overall mandate and vision of the authority,” she said.

Since the beginning of this year, there has been speculation about who would be the next CEO following the expiry of Dlamini’s employment contract last December. On March 14, then Members of Parliament (MPs) refused to approve a E10 million budget to the station and called for Dlamini’s permanent removal from the station.

On this day, the lawmakers ignored the fact that Dlamini was officially out of contract and debated his matter as if he was still in office. This was during a debate of the performance report of the ministry of information, communication and technology (ICT).

Outspoken former MP Titus Thwala was very vocal in calling for Dlamini’s removal from the CEO position.

In 2016, Parliament, according to Thwala, called for an audit to be instituted at Swazi TV following that there were questionable practices that bordered around maladministration of funds at the station. The audit was undertaken and an audit firm, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) was engaged to conduct the audit, for which E2 million was paid by government.

The audit found that Dlamini was not fit to run the station and called for his removal, according to Thwala.

He wondered why the audit report was never made public by the Minister of ICT Dumisani Ndlangamandla.

During the same debate, Thwala accused the minister of abusing the name of the country’s authorities to protect Dlamini.

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