Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton. Image via: eNCA Twitter
eNCA suspends anchors over Dlamini-Zuma remarks
eNCA’s Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton took to the airwaves on Monday, singling out Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in their criticism of the cigarette ban.
Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton. Image via: eNCA Twitter
News channel eNCA has suspended two of its anchors, following a controversial newscast earlier in the week.
Jane Dutton and Xoli Mngambi took to the airwaves on Monday to voice their personal views on the cigarette ban, in the process, slamming Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who announced that that particular lockdown measure will remain in place.
Remarks on cigarette ban lead to anchors’ suspension
This is a very disappointing and shocking reporting by @eNCA and @XoliMngambi and #JaneDutton should be ashamed.
— Engineer Matšhela Koko (@koko_matshela) May 4, 2020
RT if you also think they are am embarrassment pic.twitter.com/idpdspOGhd
The pair issued out an apology the following day, but have reportedly been suspended by the channel.
The suspension comes after saying that President Cyril Ramaphosa – who had earlier announced that the ban on cigarette sales would be lifted under Level 4 restrictions – had been emasculated by Dlamini-Zuma, who declared the opposite a day before the restrictions were set to be eased slightly.
In their apology, Dutton acknowleged the error of singling the Cogta Minister out.
“We made a rather unfortunate judgement on the president and the Cogta minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, it was around the debacle on the cigarette ban, singling her out on the decision as if it were her own, was unfair and unwarranted, especially after President Cyril Ramaphosa had provided clarity on the matter.”
Jane Dutton, eNCA news anchor
Public divided over eNCA debacle
The newscast which triggered the controversy propelled eNCA to the top of the trends list on social media, with mixed reaction across the board.
The commentary continued on through to Wednesday, the day the news of the suspension broke.
Xoli Mngambi & Jane Dutton have been suspended by @eNCA. Staff were told of their suspensions today.
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) May 6, 2020
If not futher explained, this reduces eNCA to the same status as the SABC under Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
The only thing worse than poor commentary by your anchors is to censor them.
I think is a correct decision to suspend them and its not
— ??Black-Queen ?? (@vusiwena) May 6, 2020
censorship at all. Being a news reporter doesn’t not give you a right to rant
on false news and allegations base on hate. It’s disgusting to say at least. They
reduce the channel to a gossip room.
This is very worrisome. Looks like the ANC govt now controls not only dictates the time that you can exercise, but what narrative the media must spew.
— Margie. (@margiedgander) May 6, 2020
