The veteran sportscaster Robert Marawa has parted ways with the SABC and resigned from Metro FM.
Marawa is the latest veteran broadcasting talent to jettison the struggling public broadcaster and the radio station over ongoing behind-the-scenes in-fighting.
Robert Marawa who also works as a sports journalist for pay-TV broadcaster MultiChoice and its SuperSport media outfit has finally had enough of the ongoing management shenanigans at the SABC and has decided not to return.
Three weeks ago Marawa refused to return to his Metro FM show out of solidarity after the “unfair suspension” of his radio show producer Beverly Maphangwa. The SABC then sent him a letter saying he has to give reason why he shouldn’t be fired.
Beverly Maphanga was suspended for her decision to include a short commentary in a show that was broadcast on SuperSport. The SABC often uses SuperSport visuals on its TV stations.
In a statement on Wednesday afternoon the SABC said it would “like to announce that it has parted ways with sports presenter Robert Marawa.”
In the statement the public broadcaster said: “SABC Sport has accepted his decision to repudiate his contract with the SABC which he entered into with SABC Sport on 6 June 2017. The SABC engaged Robert Marawa several times to try and remedy the situation.”
According to Sully Motsweni, the SABC’s sport boss: “Robert Marawa had contributed immensely to the sport brand of the organisation. It was hard for us to accept but we concede to his decision.”
Metro FM and the SABC have seen a string of exits just this year as the cash-strapped SABC continues to be plagued by management upheaval and talent management problems that spills into the public.
Channel 24
