CNN's Tumi coming back to SA

2005-06-01 07:31

Dulile Sowaga

Cape Town - Tumi Makgabo, current affairs presenter at Cable News Network (CNN) International and anchor of its Inside Africa programme, is returning home after spending five years with the global news network.

Makgabo was recruited by CNN from the SABC. At the time, she was a popular current affairs anchor with SABC 3.

A statement from CNN said although she would still be working with the news corporation from time to time, Makgabo would primarily work as an independent journalist and producer on a number of different projects.

In a statement explaining her departure, Makgabo said although the decision was not an easy one, she and her family felt it was important for them "to come back home and contribute to the country that has given them so much".

"We felt the time was right for us. I have learnt so much in the (five) years that I have been with CNN, and I am looking forward to sharing that (experience) back home," she said.

A job well done

Senior vice-president of CNN International, Rena Golden, said: "Tumi has done fabulous work over the years — from the anchor chair on Inside Africa, and in showcase interviews with Thabo Mbeki, George Bush, Shimon Peres and Oprah Winfrey, among others.

"In particular, she's been tireless in getting important stories from the African continent onto the CNN news agenda. We will miss her dearly."

Makgabo is due back home next month. Last year she was one of the 10 nominees at the annual City Press/Rapport Prestige Woman celebrations that honour women leaders and pioneers. Makgabo was awarded for making a breakthrough into international media at a relatively young age in her mid-20s.

Putting Africa on the map

CNN said there was no decision yet as to who would succeed Makgabo as the Inside Africa host .

Makgabo's departure follows that of CNN Johannesburg bureau head, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, a few months ago.

In April CNN announced that their Nigeria-based bureau chief, Jeff Koinange, was appointed to the newly-created position of Africa Correspondent for CNN, to significantly increase the coverage of the continent across all of CNN's services.

Koinange will be joined by Alphonso van Marsh who is currently based in Istanbul but will be transferred to Johannesburg as a video correspondent.

The two will handle Africa stories all over the continent, travelling when and as they see fit, according to Seema Alibhai, public relations manager for CNN.

- City Press