ETV BOSS TO QUIT

Twala and TV station deny any move afoot

E.TV boss Monde Twala is expected to leave the channel to join pay TV sports channel SuperSport.

Sunday World has learnt from three channel staffers that Twala had informed e.tv management that he had been approached by SuperSport to join the company as the head of SuperSport channels and he was considering the offer.

Twala, the group head: e.tv channels divisions, was expected to occupy the position which was previously held by Gideon Khobane.

Khobane was promoted to CEO of SuperSport last week.

“He has not resigned yet but we expect him to tender his resignation very soon,” said a staffer, who refused to be named.

Twala dismissed the allegation of his imminent departure as untrue.

“There ’ s no such a thing, your source is misleading,” he said.

But e.tv spokeswoman Matlapulana Ragoasha confirmed that Twala was approached by another company.

“From e.tv ’ s perspective, Monde is a highly regarded and respected member of our senior management team, heading up e.tv. From Monde ’ s perspective, he has been and continues to work happily within the e-family as he has done for many years. He has no issues whatsoever with any of the recent appointments within the group. To suggest otherwise is promoting a negative agenda.

“As a senior person within our group, he is approached from time to time by third parties and he has been approached by an international corporation to explore opportunities with them.

“We will release a statement when there is clarity on the matter and request that you observe our rights to do so and not become engaged in speculative assumptions,” said Ragoasha.

Another staffer said Twala indicated that he wanted to serve one month ’ s notice while preparing to start at his new job.

“He told us at eNCA studios that he would leave the company,” said the staffer.

It is also understood that the e.tv board was still discussing his offer from SuperSport and his intention to leave the company.

“We don ’ t know if he would stay if they counter it,” said the staffer.

Another staffer said Twala revealed that he was leaving because he was not happy with the latest appointments at e.tv and its sister channel OpenView HD.

The free-to-air channel appointed veteran journalist and Wits University journalism adjunct professor Anton Harber as the new editor-in-chief and promoted Patrick Conroy to head OpenView HD this month.

“He told them of his intention to leave after they made the announcement of Anton Harber and Patrick Conroy,” said the e.tv insider.