ROBERT MARAWA AND SABC GO SEPARATE WAYS
TALENTED Metro FM sports presenter Robert Marawa parted ways with the SABC yesterday.
This follows a two-week stand-off between the public broadcaster and the presenter over disagreements about the suspension of Marawa’s trusted producer, Beverley Maphangwa.
According to the SABC statement, management had accepted his decision to repudiate his contract, which he signed with SABC Sport on June 6.
SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said: “He had not been coming to do his daily show for over two weeks now. Long and short of the story was that we had a contract with him to do the show, and we pay him for that.”
According to Kganyago, Marawa was on a freelance contract. Kganyago confirmed that Marawa had expressed his reasons for not coming to work after Maphangwa was suspended. “We told him that your contract and that of your producer are not one thing… We do not hire people as a group,” he said.
Marawa tweeted that Maphangwa had been suspended for “non-compliance/contravention of contract”.
Both Marawa and Maphangwa were in hot water at the SABC for playing an audio from the broadcaster’s prime competitor, SuperSport.
Addressing social media claims made by Marawa, Kganyago said Marawa had told management he would not come to work until certain things were settled.
“We feel that he has not honoured his contract. The reason why we are doing this now is purely because he basically told us and you guys in the media that he won’t come to work,” Kganyago said.
The SABC has not yet announced a replacement for Marawa. Sully Motsweni, group executive: sport, thanked Marawa for his contribution to sport and the SABC. “It was hard for us to accept but we concede to his decision,” she said.
Fans reacted with shock to news that the popular anchor of the Sports with Marawa show had left Metro FM.
MEC of Education Panyaza Lesufi tweeted: “Robert, you remain one of the best in the industry, my only wish is that you must not be lost within the broadcasting world. U r indeed good.”
Kgomotso Moeketsi tweeted: “@robertmarawa Are you leaving? Why is @Lesufi saying you are leaving Metro?”
In response, Marawa said: “I believe so… I had to hear via SABC personnel who received notice via internal mail… go figure.”
The Star made several attempts to get hold of Marawa but he was unavailable to comment at the time of publication.
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