Cape Town - Voice of the Cape (VOC) radio says ongoing threats and attacks on their reputation continued after presenter, Shafiek Sedick, was taken off air for allegedly entertaining Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis on Eid.
Sedick was dragged onto social media after a Facebook post by the mayor on April 11 went viral.
In the post, which was later edited to remove his name, the mayor wrote: “Lovely Eid lunch with Aunty Saieda Lotters and Shafiek Sedick who are serving the Wynberg community tirelessly through their feeding programmes. Shukran, die kos was regtig heerlik. (sic)”
The post caused a stir online and angered the local Muslim community, who have slammed the DA for not condemning the genocide in Palestine.
In a statement released by VOC FM on Tuesday, general manager Abdul Aleem Gamza said: “We have recently been made aware of ongoing attacks on our reputation and credibility, alleging that VOC is affiliated with a specific political party.
“We want to be clear: VOC is, and will remain, an independent, non-partisan broadcaster. We are in no way nor will we ever be aligned to any political party or any of its affiliates.”
Sedick is the chairperson of the Wynberg Concerned Citizens (WCC), which hosted Hill-Lewis on Eid-ul-Fitr, but the radio presenter denied being involved in the event.
VOC station manager, Goolam Fakier, said last week that Sedick was never suspended or fired.
“Shafiek is not suspended, but a mutual agreement reached between him and I suggests he should take a break for a few weeks and an investigation is still under way. He will still be... paid [while off air] ... but this is the best for him and the station because someone on social media said they will come to VOC to ‘moer’ Shafiek.”
Fakier said yesterday that Sedick remained on a break but would not indicate when the popular presenter would return to the air.
Sedick did not respond to the Cape Argus’ phone calls or messages on Thursday.