A small number of passionate sports lovers braved rainy weather to join a peaceful picket at Radio Park in Auckland, Johannesburg, demanding the SABC bring back sports broadcaster Robert Marawa. The picket took place on Saturday morning.
Led by activist and poet Mzwakhe Mbuli, it attracted soccer fans from Free State and KwaZulu-Natal. Football fan Mama Joy Chauke, arts activist Brian Ntombela, Botha Msila, Thulani Ngcobo and Nokuzola Khahleza were part of the sports lovers who showed up.
The fans carried placards that read: “You Can't Keep a Good Man Down”; “Robert Marawa is a national treasure” ; “Sports lovers are denied Marawa's empowerment” and “Bring back Madluphuthu”.
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A blasting sound played songs such as Lelilungelo elakho by Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Impi by the late Johnny Clegg, Aluta Continua by Miriam Makeba, Vuka Darkie by Mzwakhe Mbuli.
Actors, former soccer players, politicians, ordinary people, church leaders and sports fans from as far as Zimbabwe and Botswana sent messages of support to the "Bring Back Marawa" campaign.
Mama Joy, who has just dumped the team she has been supporting for years — Orlando Pirates for Royal AM, joined the Bring Back Robert Marawa picket because the local sports industry needed someone like him. “I am here because I want Robert Marawa back.
“We know he is working, but we want him here on a public platform. Robert has done a lot for the sports industry.”
“What people don't know is that even my name — Mama Joy, he is the one who gave me the name. We'll continue making noise until SABC listen.”
Another soccer fan, Botha said: “We want Robert back at the SABC because he is a leader who empowered a lot of people through his show. He is the only broadcaster who respected and gave sport fans a platform to speak about their challenges and made sure that chairmen of soccer teams take them serious.”
“Robert is a role model of our children, and he exposed a lot of corruption in the sports industry. He brought many adverts and lot of money to SABC. We know he has started his show at a different platform because he is passionate. We want him here at SABC in a public broadcasting space.”
Kaizer Chiefs fan Thulani Ngcobo said: “We appeal to SABC to bring back Robert where everyone can listen to him without using data. We know he has a job with Vuma and Rise as well SowetanLIVE, but we want him here. On Saturday, SABC has a huge sport after because of Robert Marawa. I grew-up listening to Robert and watching him on television.”
SABC spokesperson Gugu Ntuli said: “The SABC will once again categorically state that Mr Marawa’s three-year contract came to an end and was not renewed. He was at no point fired nor was his contract terminated before its end. The misleading narrative that Mr Marawa has been “targeted, silenced, marginalised, sidelined from the airwaves by the SABC” is devoid of any truth. Evidence to the contrary must be produced in this regard, as this serious allegation is made with the view to discredit the public broadcaster.”
