Somizi Mhlongo out at SABC's Metro FM after serious allegations of violent physical abuse, Idols role on M-Net's Mzansi Magic in jeopardy.

by Thinus Ferreira

The socialite Somizi Mhlongo who is once again swirling in controversy following allegations of violent physical abuse is out of his gig as a presenter on the SABC's Metro FM radio station, with his seat as a judge on Idols on Mzansi Magic that is also in serious jeopardy.

The scandal-riddled star is once again in the tabloid headlines for all the wrong reasons, following leaked BarLeaderTV production recordings from his now-estranged lover, Mohale Motaung.

Mohale Motaung claims that Somizi Mhlongo broke his ribs and almost knocked out teeth in a violent physical abuse incident in 2020; allegedly threatened Mohale with a kitchen knife, saying he would kill them both; and allegedly even tried to drive him off the road after an Idols afterparty.

Mohale Motaung and Somizi Mhlongo's tempestuous relationship has been marred by persistent rumours of infidelity and breakup ever since their over-the-top and tacky reality TV wedding series, Somizi & Mohale: The Union that was filmed for MultiChoice's Showmax video streamer in 2020.

Somizi Mhlongo and MultiChoice are also mired in drama over allegations that he allegedly stole and plagiarised the idea for the Dinner at Somizi's TV series from another creative, Hastings Moeng.

Neither Mohale Motaung nor Somizi Mhlongo responded with any public statement by the time of publishing over the violent physical abuse claims.

On Wednesday morning the SABC in a statement confirmed that Somizi Mhlongo is gone from the Metro FM airwaves for now.

"The SABC can confirm that Metro FM management met with Somizi Mhlongo and he has requested to take some time off from work. Management has granted Somizi Mhlongo permission to do so. The corporation has also noted comments on social media about Somizi Mhlongo and we would like to point out that the public broadcaster does not condone any acts of abuse and violence."

Meanwhile Somizi Mhlongo's continued participation as an Idols judge on M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel is also becoming increasingly untenable given the serious nature of the allegations that have surfaced.

If Somizi Mhlongo is removed or leaves, viewers will however see him for a few weeks longer on-air, since several episodes of the current 17th season have been filmed by the [SIC] Entertainment production company already.

MultiChoice on Tuesday told TVwithThinus in a statement in response to a media enquiry that "We are aware of the allegations made against Somizi Mhlongo. As a strong proponent of a violence-free South Africa, we view these allegations seriously and are giving them the attention they deserve".

In January the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) slammed Somizi Mhlongo in a strongly-worded statement over his insults levelled against journalists.

Somizi attacked journalists after reports about his alleged infidelity and crumbling relationship and a legal battle over the canned Dinner at Somizi's TV show, after he was approached for comment but declined to comment.

SANEF said that Somizi's "actions have aggravated what is already a hostile working environment, especially for women journalists. This is a direct attack on media freedom in the country. Worldwide similar attacks are being meted out on journalists with the intent to silence their voices, especially that of women and the stories they tell."

"SANEF calls on Somizi Mhlongo to unreservedly apologise to these journalists and the public on all his social platforms for his unbecoming behaviour. He must call on his followers to stop harassing and intimidating them. Further, we call on the journalists to lay charges of intimidation and for MultiChoice to officially distance themselves from Mhlongo's comments."

ALSO READ: In shocking leaked production recordings reality star Mohale Motaung accuses Idols judge Somizi Mhlongo of alleged violent physical abuse: 'Threatened to kill me with a kitchen knife'.

Coronavirus: The SABC investigating Somizi Mhlongo over his Covid-19 'dangerous joke' fake news.

by Thinus Ferreira

The South African public broadcaster says it's launching its own investigation into Somizi Mhlongo after the reality TV star and choreographer's alleged Covid-19 fake news premature announcement about an extension of South African's national lockdown period that he apologised for and called "a dangerous statement".

South Africa's minister of transport, Fikile Mbalula on Friday opened a case against Somizi Mhlongo for allegedly flouting the 21-day Covid-19 coronavirus national lockdown regulations by creating and spreading fake news and misinformation.

Somizi Mhlongo was charged in terms of regulation 11(5)(c) of the Disaster Management Act, in relation to publishing any statement through any medium including social media with the intention to deceive any other person about measures by the government to address Covid-19.

It followed after Dineo Ranaka did an Instagram Live broadcast on Thursday morning in which Somizi Mhlongo was heard saying that Fikile Mbalula told him that president Cyril Ramaphosa would extend the country's national lockdown for a further two weeks before Ramaphosa made the announcement in his Thursday night live televised address.

Fikile Mbalula said he never spoke to Somizi Mhlongo about an extension of South Africa's national lockdown situation, with Mhlongo who has since apologised on social media and said that he was just joking and that he "did not know about the extension just like everybody else" and that "I apologise to the minister for such a dangerous statement".

Somizi Mhlongo is an Idols judge and star of the reality show Living the Dream with Somizi on MultiChoice's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel and earlier this year shared his wedding build-up and ceremony on MultiChoice's Showmax streaming service in the series Somizi & Mohale: The Union.  He is also a presenter on the SABC's Metro FM radio station.

"This matter has been referred to the law enforcement authorities and we will let the process unfold. In line with our internal processes, we will also engage Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung, investigate the matter and will be guided by our policies on an appropriate action to be taken," says Mmoni Seapolelo, SABC spokesperson.

"The SABC regrets the incident concerning Metro FM on-air personality, Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung. Although Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung's utterances were not part of the broadcast of his programme on Metro FM, we would like to put it on record that we do not tolerate any behaviour that is in contravention with the government's regulations under the Disaster Management Act on fake news and information peddling," says Mmoni Seapolelo.

Philly Kubheka, Mzansi Magic spokesperson, told TVwithThinus that M-Net doesn't have any comment and will not be doing any investigations on Somizi.

The Somizi Mhlongo case is the latest high-profile case this week of people who got into trouble for allegedly flouting rules of South Africa's national lockdown period.

While the country's communications minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, wasn't charged, president Cyril Ramaphosa this week placed her on 2 months "special leave", one month of which will be unpaid, after an image was posted publicly of her doing lunch at the home of South Africa's former deputy minister of higher education and training, Mduduzi Manana.

The Bachelor South Africa's bachelor Marc Buckner of the second season of the reality show screened on M-Net (DStv 101) said on Wednesday that he was allegedly arrested for allegedly violating the national lockdown regulations and fined R1 500 after he was walking back home from shopping.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo told me on Friday night that he can’t confirm whether Marc Bucker was arrested or not but said if a member of the public receives a lockdown period fine and want to challenge that they’re welcome to go to court. 

 "A written J534 fine you don’t have to pay it if you feel that you have been in any way prejudiced or you feel that you were not given the fine justifiably. Then you can go to court and challenge that."

On Tuesday the Durbanville man, Steven Birch appeared in the Cape Town magistrate's court after a case was opened against him for allegedly spreading fake news about Covid-19. In a widely-shared video message on social media he falsely claimed that the South African government's coronavirus testing kits were contaminated and will infect people.


ALSO READ: Coronavirus: South Africa's transport minister Fikile Mbalula lays charge against reality TV star Somizi Mhlongo for allegedly spreading Covid-19 fake news.

M-Net's Idols judge and MetroFM DJ Unathi Msengana now 'sorry'; suspended after disgusting filthy-mouthed Twitter outburst.

Damaging her own image and standing as well as that of the SABC, M-Net, Idols and MetroFM, Unathi Msengana who has been suspended by the SABC, is now saying "sorry" for her vulgar outburst on social media.

Unathi Msengana whose filth and hate riddled tirade against a 19-year old went public and will live online forever and might one day be embarrassing to her kids, now "wish to publicly apologise" for her choice of language.

"In what I have come to realise was a bad attempt to defend myself, I reacted by engaging directly with a Twitter follower. However, as upset as I was at that time, I should not have used offensive language," says Unathi Msengana in her statement. 

The MetroFM DJ and Idols judge previously considered the "nice" one despite some previous flare-ups and bad language, has now largely dented her positive role model image permanently.

The "rude" Unathi Msengana was for instance suspended in October 2013 by MetroFM after "unsavoury" comments, and with listeners complaining about her rude and sarcastic on-air behaviour.

The latest damaging self-inflicted reputation damage started when Unathi Msengana - who was suspended on Wednesday by the SABC - blasted a 19-year old MetroFM listener and Wits student, Palomino Jama, on Twitter who had different views.

It followed after a discussion of the documentary "Luister" about allegations of rampant racism at the University of Stellenbosch faced by black students.

Disgusting filth-riddled Twitter messages from Unathi Msengana to Jama like contained shocking languages like:

"Do you think insulting me, my marriage and my sexuality is going to change your situation? You're a f***ing idiot if so… you’re f***ing delusional if you think you can get personal. F*** your stupid mind. No amount is going to change our realities."

"You psycho b***h. F*** you twice over."

It prompted the SABC to suspend the mother - who hopefully isn't using that language with her own kids and calling them "psycho b***h" when they're not listening.

"Unathi Msengana has been taken off air because there are issues with what happened on her Twitter account after her show," says SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.

The SABC will "engage" Unathi Msengana over her actions.

In a statement M-Net says "M-Net has engaged with Unathi Msengana extensively regarding her recent use of offensive language" but is not removing her as a Idols judge - for now.

"In light of the fact that Unathi Msengana has expressed her remorse over the incident, she will continue in her role as Idols SA judge. M-Net wishes to reiterate that it does not condone the use of offensive language and will take more serious action should such an incident occur again".

BREAKING. SABC's 2009 MetroFM Awards cancelled. Guess why? It's not what you think . . .

You're reading it here first. There will be no 2009 MetroFM Awards this year.

The SABC just ''postponed'' it to 2010.

Which would make it the 2010 MetroFM Awards.
But the SABC doesn't like the word ''cancelled''.

Who do you think is to blame?

Well, the SABC is struggling with money, but it's not their fault . . . entirely.

The main sponsor is the the City of Tswane who withdrew as a sponsor and took the bulk of the funding for the event with it.

MetroFM station management had no option but to cancel this year's award ceremony which was supposed to happen next month. MetroFM is currently in negotiation with other potential partners to stage the event early next year.