‘Your approach inappropriate,’ South African presidency faults Fani-Kayode over protest against interrupted speech

The South African presidency has responded to allegations by Femi Fani-Kayode, Nigeria’s high commissioner to the country, that his speech was interrupted while he presented his letters of credence to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Vincent Magwenya, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, accused Fani-Kayode of misrepresenting the incident and wrongly suggesting that the president intervened in the matter.

Fani-Kayode presented his letters of credence alongside 14 other diplomats on Friday at the Sefako M. Makgatho presidential guest house in Tshwane, Gauteng.

The South African presidency streamed the ceremony live on YouTube. However, the broadcast appeared to experience a technical glitch while Antoine Michon, the French ambassador to South Africa, was delivering his speech. Michon was scheduled to speak immediately before Fani-Kayode.

The livestream subsequently switched to Ramaphosa addressing the ambassadors.

Fani-Kayode later expressed his displeasure in a lengthy post on X, claiming that his speech had been cut short.

The diplomat said he raised the matter directly with Ramaphosa, who “in fairness to him”, took Fani-Kayode to the “relevant officials and acted with despatch”.

He also disclosed that he declined an interview invitation from SABC News, South Africa’s public broadcaster, “as a consequence of the deplorable way we were treated”.

South African presidency responds

In his response, Magwenya said Fani-Kayode had wrongly involved Ramaphosa in an operational matter over which the president had no authority.

“In South Africa the President does not intervene on operational matters at the public broadcasters, neither did he intervene on your behalf,” he said.

Magwenya explained that Ramaphosa had only referred the Nigerian high commissioner to Sophie Mokoena, SABC’s acting political and foreign editor, as the appropriate person to address his complaint.

He added that Fani-Kayode declined to speak with Mokoena, who could have clarified the misunderstanding.

“The SABC is a public broadcaster. The President carries no legal or political mandate to interfere with its operations or intervene in its editorial processes,” he added.

“Frankly, your approach in this regard on a minor operational issue which you misunderstood was grossly inappropriate.”

The presidential spokesperson urged Fani-Kayode to engage with SABC and establish a “mutually beneficial, respectful and professional relationship” as he begins his tenure.

“I wish you well on your tenure and I hope you begin to engage the various aspects of South African society and its constitutional tenets constructively.”

Hours after Fani-Kayode published his complaint, the South African presidency uploaded a separate video of his speech to its YouTube channel.