Channel S has no proper licence

MBABANE – Controversial Channel S TV station that recently changed hands between its previous owner Qhawe Mamba and flamboyant gospel start Sipho ‘Big Fish’ Makhabane has no proper trading licence.

When Mamba allegedly sold the TV station he said Makhabane assumed directorship of its operations as the trading licence was to remain with him. Investigations by this newspaper uncovered that the station has no proper licence.

Swazi News has learnt that the TV station was first operated by Mass Media for Africa which was owned by Kenneth Nkambule, Kevin Richardson and Hlobsile Sylvia Ndlovu, now Sports Minister. Ndlovu is Mamba’s first wife, however they separated.

After the collapse of Mass Media for Africa, Ultimate Productions (ULTI PRO) came into being and operated the TV station before its liquidation in 1999.
When approached for comment Swaziland Television Authority (STVA), a regulator of television broadcasting, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Vukani Maziya said Channel S does not have a licence.

“They had a provisional licence and that in my knowledge ceased to exist when ULTI-PRO closed,” said Maziya.    
When contacted Mamba said it was at that stage (liquidation of ULTI PRO) that Jouz Media came into being and took over the operations of the TV station. However, a search of the company in the register of companies bore no fruits.

Mamba did concede that ULTI-PRO closed shop but that does not mean they were operating without a licence. When asked if this meant he (or his person) was the licence, Mamba laughed off the assertion by Swazi News.
He insisted that Channel S was later to be operated by Jouz Media
The Swazi News can reveal that there is no company under the name Jouz Media in the government’s company files.

When told that a company search failed to get details on Jouz Media, Mamba was quick to say at the time of the E50 million case (where he is a suspect) records of Jouz Media went missing. However, there was no formal complaint or report by Mamba on the missing files of his company.

Officially, Jouz Media is a company that does not exist.
Mamba insisted that there was no mystery with the TV station licence, stressing that the deal they have with Makhabane was clean.
Other sources within the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) believe that ULTI-PRO went under the bridge with the licence because there is no proof that the company transferred the licence before it liquidated.

Swazi News yesterday checked ULTIMATE Productions file where it appeared that the company last paid company licence fees in 1999, which leaves the company with a debt of E8 240.  
Mamba acknowledged the debt and said there were reasons for that which he could not divulge to the media.
When sought for comment last night Makhabane said all he knew was that Channel S was a registered company that has been around for many years so he does not understand why the station was allowed to operate without a licence all along.

“Channel S has been around for many years and I do not understand why it was an issue that I bought a stake from Channel S. All I know is that Channel S has a licence and the reasons that he gave for not giving me the licence do not concern me,” said Makhabane.

We went back to Mamba on the matter and he responded; “I do not understand why you are interested in the licence because that does not mean a thing to us. All that matters to us is the frequency. I want anyone that alleges that I do not have a licence to think again because this arrangement is for the good in the industry,” said Mamba.

Mamba said what was happening was more like outsourcing some departments of the organisation so he would be working closely with Makhabane to ensure that the TV station remains committed to its mandate. He said seeing that his name has been tainted, he found it fit to sell the business to Makhabane.

“Qhawe may continue to provide content so that the station does not loose its image that it has been known for. Very soon Channel S will be available in eight streams which might see other players coming in,” added Mamba.
Acting Principal Secretary, Moses Zungu in the ICT Ministry said their ministry has nothing to do with licences so the issue lies with STVA.
“STVA remains the regulator so they are the ones to tell you whether Channel S has a license or not,” Zungu told Swazi News yesterday.          

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