YFM DJ APOLOGISES OVER GAY AUDIO CLIP
Two YFM DJs have been suspended after they played a homophobic audio clip and mocked a gay colleague on air.
The Times reported on Wednesday that DJ Macgyver Mukwevho, known as MacG, played a clip from YouTube of the chairman of the National Task Force against Homosexuality in Uganda, Pastor Martin Ssempa, ranting about the “evils” of homosexuality.
Mukwevho, according a listener, was heard “laughing hysterically” at the tirade and asked a gay colleague, producer Junior Dikwa, if he engaged in the activities mentioned by the anti-gay pastor in the clip.
It emerged that DJ Mpho Maboi had earlier also played the clip on her show.
YFM will be facing the Broadcasting Complaints Commission today following a hate speech complaint from the listener. The two DJS have been suspended pending the outcome of disciplinary hearings.
On Tuesday, Mukwevho apologised for the furore on Twitter: “I’d like to profusely apologise to everyone I offended during my show last month when I made reference to homosexuality. Sincere apologies,” said the DJ.
Dikwa told the newspaper that his sexuality was no secret but he refused to comment on the matter.
Ssempa is an anti-gay crusader in Uganda and is a vocal supporter of that country’s proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill which advocates the death penalty in certain cases of homosexual “behaviour”.
Good, it’s about time. I am glad someone took them to the BCC.
Honestly. For goodness sake people. I mean really. Let by-gones by by-gones. Don’t you think I feel offended everytime I watch a music video on TV see and all these half naked woman dancing around the lead singer? That is total discrimination against gays too. What do you think the outcome would be if a gay singer starts using guys in his music videos, and show off their perfect bodies?
fire them. the radio station need to make a strong statement…we cannot have people in the publc arena bahaving like that. i say fire the homophobes their apologies mean nothing.
I agree. Fire them. In this country where we like to wave our constitution under everyone’s noses we should not ever even tolerate anything like this. Can you imagine if it was a RACIAL clip about hatred for whites, or if a white radio station played something about discrimination against blacks. Why should this be any different.
If you are in the public eye, and you wanna be famous, you need to realise that you HAVE A SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. You are an example to many people. Keep your personal feelings out of it. No one can tell anyone else NOT to hate gays. It is personal choice. But if you are are a celebrity, it is your duty to keep it to yourself. If you misuse your platform to advocate your own opinion, you do not deserve it. Fire them!
There apology is a little too late. The damage has already been done. What should be asked is why this was broadcast in the first place? Is there not a station manager that has to approve show content before being aired? Or more disturbingly, was it deemed okay to play? Suspension is not good enough. They should also be forced to work with a LGBT charity to experience just how harsh life can be when one is judged because of sexuality. Idiots!!!