Lesedi FM’s Chomane Chomane accused of homophobia
Lesedi FM presenter Chomane Chomane has been accused of making offensive and homophobic comments on his breakfast radio show.
Zenny Kgolokwane, from the LGBTI group Free State Rainbow Seeds, heard the remarks on Wednesday during the show’s “Motho mpe motho” (hook me up) segment, in which listeners call in with the hope that they’ll be helped to find a date or a partner.
In this instance, a gay male listener phoned in to the studio and was, according to Kgolokwane, treated disrespectfully by Chomane.
Kgolokwane told Mambaonline that the radio personality offensively referred to the caller as “di gay”.
Making matters worse, he then, she said, went on to ask the caller who will “play the woman role” in the relationship, which the man refused to answer.
Kgolokwane claims that Chomane further asked the embarrassed caller to list his talents because most gays know how to do hair and dance.
“The questions he asked the caller were totally unacceptable and rude,” Kgolokwane said.
“Chomane is heard by taxi drivers, hawkers and people who are getting ready for work and he has a huge impact in their lives. Lesbians get raped because of ‘trying to be a man’ comments they receive in the street,” she explained.
Kgolokwane called on Chomane to apologise on air and educate his audience about sexual orientation and gender diversity “and not create a bigger problem whilst the LGBTI population is trying to remove that stigma”.
She added: “We as an organisation try so hard to teach people and change behaviour and thanks to Chomane we’ve taken five steps backwards. I was angry and ashamed.”
On the Lesedi FM website, Chomane – seen by many as a radio legend – is described as being “highly informed”. The site also says that “he empowers himself by reading and possesses an unmatched ability to inform, entertain and educate the listener”.
Kgolokwane sent a complaint to the Bloemfontein-based Sesotho language station about the incident through its Facebook page.
Speaking to Mambaonline, Programmes Manager Wire Khoali confirmed receipt of the complaint. He said that it had been forwarded to Chomane for his comment and is being dealt with by the SABC Broadcasting Compliance department.
Lesedi FM is the fourth largest radio station in the country, with almost 3,5 million listeners.
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The Guy who was doing the interview he was never concern about that. Because he said that can be discussed with the partner. Ntate Chomane wanted to know how things were done then the guy never expressed any disapproval of being called a gay or anything. So this zenny must never try to show the anger she has on other peoples expensive I have watched what she said on her facebook.
If she want people to respect them and treat them equal they must respect others first.
Whilst the BBC is making great strides towards inclusion the SABC is beset with tugs of war and maladministration. Lesedi FM then does this. We cannot continue to be disrespected and insulted in the media. Not only should this matter be brought to the attention of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission, and ICASA (should it have jurisdiction) it should also be brought to the attention of all those who influence thoughts and opinions of many. This manner of referring to LGBTI people in a derogatory fashion will not stop unless people realise the consequences.
We cannot be too sensitive and we should, as LGBTI people, seriously consider the idea that utterances of this nature (and worse) may amount to hate speech and result in untold violence.
What’s new. Just another useless neanderthal