Manyi claims ‘sabotage’ campaign behind reports of Afro Worldview’s demise

A notification on DStv’s menu, indicating that Afro Worldview will stop airing on August 20, has sparked attempts to get clarity on whether it’s over for Mzwanele Manyi’s news channel, which rebranded from the Gupta-owned ANN7 in May.

Recently it was reported that Manyi’s newspaper, Afro Voice, had been liquidated. However, Manyi reacted in anger on Twitter to News24’s erroneous report that Afro Worldview had also been liquidated. News24 then offered a correction.

Dear @News24
Please amend your FAKE NEWS.
The @afroworldview former ANN7, is NOT being liquidated.
The liquidation application pertains ONLY to the newspaper business, Afro Voice, formerly known as The New Age. https://t.co/siWFZq2rft

— Mzwanele Manyi (@MzwaneleManyi) July 17, 2018

While Afro Worldview was not liquidated, it has been reported that the channel’s contract with MultiChoice ends in August.

The channel has applied to be considered for MultiChoice’s new local news channel. Earlier this year, the pay-TV company said it received more than 60 applications and would pronounce outcomes of the bidding later in July.

There has been much speculation about whether MultiChoice will renew Afro Worldview’s contract, with many predicting they will not.

READ MORE: Manyi’s Afro Voice, formerly The New Age, applies for liquidation

In January, it was reported that DStv intended to drop what was then known as ANN7 in favour of a new black-owned news channel.

Manyi tweeted just after 3am on Monday morning that there was a “very well-orchestrated” attempt to “sabotage” the channel.

He claimed the “evidence is overwhelming”.

According to the businessman, “various known sources feed fictitious information to unsettle the organisation and to work society to accept our manufactured demise”.

He added the channel would not “roll over and play dead”.

Manyi was responding to a tweet by popular parody account @AdvBarryRoux, who tweeted about a “well-financed well-strategised anti-Afro worldview agenda”.

FACT: There is a very well ochestrated sabotage to collapse Afro Worldview.
The evidence is overwhelming.

Various known sources feed fictitious information to unsettle the organisation and to work society to accept our manufactured demise.

We will NOT roll over and play dead. https://t.co/8rDynT31IT

— Mzwanele Manyi (@MzwaneleManyi) August 6, 2018

According to a MultiChoice spokesperson, the process to appoint the successful bidder for the news channel “has not been concluded. Once this process is completed, we will make all the necessary announcements”.

Channel head Mzwanele Manyi and head of marketing Gugu Masinga had not returned The Citizen’s requests for comment at the time of publication.

We will update our readers if they do respond.

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