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RADIO HOST BEGS QUEEN TO STOP CALLING ON AIR

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MANZINI – A radio host was forced to plead with banned listener Queen Shongwe to stop calling or he would be in trouble while on air.


Listeners were taken by surprise yesterday morning during a health programme that was hosted by Veli Simelane, who was with guests from the health sector.

The programme ‘Asihlephule’ is aired every Tuesday between 8:30am and 9am on the SiSwati channel.
In yesterday’s edition of the programme, when it was time for listeners to call into the Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Service (SBIS) station, as soon as Simelane recognised Shongwe’s voice, he hung up.

However, this did not deter the outspoken Shongwe as she repeatedly called into the station. It was at this juncture that Simelane pleaded with her to stop calling because of the consequences that it could entail. Simelane further mentioned that this could also cost him his job if Shongwe did not give up.


“Ngiyakucela shem sisi wami,” Simelane pleaded. This meant, “I beg you my sister.”
Shongwe was banned from participating in any live call-in programmes late last month, after she allegedly referred to MTN Corporate Affairs Manager Mandla Luphondvo as a ‘boy’ during a call-in programme that she participated in. Even after this proscribe, Shongwe continued to do the opposite and interrupted programmes.
At the time, Shongwe vowed to continue doing so until the station’s authorities engaged her and explained the exact reason behind her ban.


When quizzed about this, Shongwe confirmed that she called into the station several times yesterday morning in a bid to contribute to the topic of the day, only for Simelane to ask her to hang up. Before being asked to hang up, Shongwe alleged that Simelane told her that his job was at stake if she continued to interrupt the programme.


“I gave up only because it was a programme that was meant to benefit emaSwati, otherwise I wouldn’t mind blocking the telephone line until the programme’s time elapsed,” she said.


Previously, just after Shongwe’s ban was announced through a notice, some employees of the radio station expressed their discontent over alleged threats from their superiors. The employees alleged that they were warned not to entertain Shongwe in any call-in programme on the radio, or else those who failed to comply with this directive would be taken to task.


Their argument was that the station was not equipped with advanced technologies that would aid them determine who a caller was before they could answer the phone.

When Simelane was called regarding the matter, he said the station still did not have the instrument that would assist them to sift through phone calls so that Shongwe would not participate in live programmes.


Simelane referred further questions to the station’s Deputy Director Gcinangaye Tsabedze. However, she also directed questions regarding Shongwe’s matter to the director.

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