Robert Marawa hints at ‘sexual harassment’ cover-up after SuperSport fires him via SMS
Controversial Twitter account @AdvBarryRoux claims to know the inside details of an alleged sex scandal, which he believes Marawa was dismissed for trying to bring to light.
Robert Marawa serving as MC at a recent OutSurance event where the insurer was announced as SAFA’s principal referees sponsor | Image: Twitter
On Thursday evening, popular sportscaster shocked fans by posting a message on Twitter saying had been axed from SuperSport via SMS.
The veteran radio and television presenter said he “received a text around 18H50 tonight informing me that I should not bother coming to Studio for Thursday Night Live with Marawa Show on @SuperSport …”
Marawa also said in the Twitter post that “I would like to thank all those who have supported my journey as Sportscaster & those I have worked with at SuperSport.”
While he initially did not give any reasons as to why he had been sacked, he took to Twitter just after 3am on Friday morning to imply there is an “amazing story” behind his sacking from the channel, who he referred to in his tweet as “the mafia”.
When a Twitter user responded to this by asking if he was working or had insomnia, Marawa replied, “Working and reflecting… Imagine paying for a service where people who [are] guilty of sexual harassment [are] employed and encouraged to work!! Lovely hey….”
While Marawa gave no further details regarding the sexual harassment allegations, social media took the claim and ran with it, particularly popular but controversial parody account @AdvBarryRoux – which was previously anonymous but has since been revealed by News24 to be Zambian blogger Csho “Shepard” Chilala – who tweeted a long series of allegations fleshing out Marawa’s “sexual harassment” claim.
READ MORE: Robert Marawa shocks fans with abrupt end of SuperSport show
According to Chilala: “The problems within Supersport goes deeper than anyone could think. It’s so bad, it’s worse than a government department.”
After giving what he says are details of other problems Marawa faced at SuperSport, Chilala alleges that a TV director at Multichoice, Ayabonga Maholwana, “would ask the presenters who are new for sexual favours”.
Chilala says Maholwana’s sexual harassment case “was shoved under the carpet”.
“Robert Marawa [and] others tried and tried protecting these ladies but they were left helpless because every time they try to protect these ladies, they would be intimidated by senior bosses at Supersport,” Chilala alleges.
Chilala further alleges that Maholwana is “close friends with the boss who send Robert Marawa a text message [on Thursday] firing him.”
The allegations are untested, and the @AdvBarryRoux account has been accused of spreading fake news before, and has been suspended on multiple occasions.
Efforts to contact Maholwana have been unsuccessful so far, and we will continue to try and reach him for comment. We have also reached out to Marawa and will update this story with his comment if and when we receive it.
The Mafia!! Incorporated with lackeys. An amazing story!! 👌🏽
— robertmarawa (@robertmarawa) May 16, 2019
Working and reflecting….Imagine paying for a service where people who r guilty of sexual harassment r employed and encouraged to work!! Lovely hey….
— robertmarawa (@robertmarawa) May 16, 2019
The stand-in host of the show on Thursday told viewers it was the last episode of the show.
SuperSport told IOL that the discontinuation of Marawa’s show was only due to an “exciting refresh” of its line-up.
The channel said that it is “in the process of an exciting refresh of its local presenter line-up, which will be unveiled as part of our new football season campaign”.
“This restructure includes us not pursuing our contractual relationship with Robert Marawa.
“Robert was personally advised of our decision earlier this week,” the sports channel continued, in what appears to be a contradiction of Marawa’s assertion that he first found out about it after receiving a text hours before his show was meant to be broadcast.
“We are grateful for his contribution over the years, and wish him great success in his future endeavors,” SuperSport’s statement concludes.
https://twitter.com/AdvBarryRoux/status/1129132165906817024
https://twitter.com/AdvBarryRoux/status/1129132717109633024
https://twitter.com/AdvBarryRoux/status/1129133364466847749
https://twitter.com/AdvBarryRoux/status/1129134230804533250
https://twitter.com/AdvBarryRoux/status/1129137239315877914
https://twitter.com/AdvBarryRoux/status/1129137500180623360
(Background reporting, ANA)
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