[imagesource: The South African]

News anchors Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton have landed themselves in hot water following comments made about Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and the reversal on the tobacco sale decision.

On Monday morning’s live broadcast on eNCA, Mngambi and Dutton appeared to go off-script, stating “who’s controlling South Africa’s narrative right now – not the president, but… Dlamini-Zuma”.

They made an implicit reference to the connection between Dlamini-Zuma and renowned tobacco smuggler Adriano Mazzotti, who has denied any link between himself and the ban on tobacco sales.

Here’s the on-air ‘outburst’ that landed the anchors in hot water:

This is a very disappointing and shocking reporting by @eNCA and @XoliMngambi and #JaneDutton should be ashamed.

RT if you also think they are am embarrassment pic.twitter.com/idpdspOGhd

— Engineer Matšhela Koko (@koko_matshela) May 4, 2020

That video was shared by former Eskom acting chief executive officer Matshela Koko, so perhaps he should refrain from using words like “ashamed” and “embarrassment”.

As criticism grew louder, the anchors then issued an on-air apology the following day:

Yesterday, @XoliMngambi and @JaneDutton made an unfortunate judgment call on President Cyril Ramaphosa and Cogta Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma around the debacle on the cigarette ban. Here’s their apology. #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/tMNNWHVhyC

— eNCA (@eNCA) May 5, 2020

Via the Citizen, here’s some of that apology:

“Yesterday (Monday) we made a rather unfortunate judgement on the president and… Dlamini-Zuma. Singling her out on the decision as if it were her own, was unfair and unwarranted, especially after… Ramaphosa provided clarity on the matter,” Dutton said.

Mngambi continued: “We, as news anchors, are allowed to make commentary on any matter of national importance and this is done purely to encourage debate. It’s not done out of malice or to personalise attacks on a particular leader.”

Dutton then adds: “The same also applied to us; as citizens of this country we are entitled to opinions as individuals … [and] that right is protected and guaranteed under the Constitution. For this, though, we apologise unreservedly.”

Before proceeding to the day’s headlines, Mngambi says: “We have earned your trust and we’re not about to disappoint you now. At a time when the president and his team are leading us through difficult times in our country, again, we apologise unreservedly to you, Mr President; you, Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma; and indeed, the nation.”

It appears as though they were given a serious talking to, but that apology did not satisfy the crowd baying for blood.

Yesterday, Eusebius McKaiser tweeted that the duo had been suspended:

In response to claims of suspension, eNCA MD Norman Ndivhuho Munzhelele offered a short statement:

“eNCA anchors Jane Dutton and Xoli Mngambi have not been suspended. This is an internal matter and remains between the employer and employees. The employer wishes to respect the rights of the employees in this regard.”

The duo has not been on air since Tuesday’s apology, and it remains to be seen when, and if, they will return to hosting the channel’s morning news show.

[source:citizen]