SABC blows R5 million to woo Marawa

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) had to bend over backwards to bring back radio darling Robert Marawa in a three-year deal worth more than R5 million.

Marawa’s comeback was announced on Friday morning by SABC COO Chris Maroleng, with a historic plan to simulcast his sports show on Metro FM and Radio 2000.

Sunday World can exclusively reveal that Marawa signed a three-year deal with the public broadcaster effective from June 1, 2018 to May 31, 2021 at a rate of R7 000 per shift.

The show will take two hours.

According to a contract of employment signed by Marawa and the SABC, Marawa is set to become the second highest paid sports radio presenter at the SABC with a monthly salary of R154 000.

The contract indicates that Marawa is set to earn an annual salary of R1,8 million and, by the end of his contract, he would have earned at least R5,5 million.

Marawa’s predecessor at Radio 2000, Andile Ncube, is believed to have earned R7500 for his one-hour sports show. Ncube was earning a monthly salary of R165 000 and an annual salary of R1,9-million.

Marawa’s appointment means Metro FM sports show host Thomas Mlambo and possibly his producer, Katlego Modiba, who joined the SABC from Power FM, will bite the dust.

Mlambo, who walked out on Friday when Marawa was introduced during a staff meeting at the SABC, was the fifth presenter for the Metro FM sports show since Marawa’s departure in the middle of last year.

Others who came and failed to make an impact include the likes of Mpho Maboi, Udo Carlese, Joe Mann and Owen Hannie. Despite Marawa receiving a thunderous welcome from the majority of SABC staffers, Sunday World can reveal that his comeback was not easy.

It has been established, through several SABC officials close to the process, that there were contractual glitches that delayed the process.

Marawa confirmed the contractual hiccups, but said he was glad everything was sorted out to allow his comeback. He, however, refused to comment on his package deal.

“My role is literally to try to make sure the vision the SABC has with this kind of format works,” he said.

The sports broadcaster, who is also a presenter at SuperSport, credited listeners and his fans for his return to the SABC.

“I’ve been sitting on the sidelines not doing any radio whatsoever and because it’s a national platform as well, there was no way you can say no to talking to the masses across all different provinces in the country.” – SundayWorld