Umhlobo Wenene’s DJ Samora Mangesi has hit back at claims that he has been pulled off air and suspended due to being intoxicated.
The media personality's broadcast on 9 April 2022 of Iqonga Labatsha, popularly known as #IQL, had many listeners questioning the state he was in.
Mangesi took to Facebook to address the "unfortunate and hurtful" comments he saw following the broadcast.
He explained that he remained silent to allow the matter to be resolved by the necessary stakeholders before speaking out.
Mangesi disputed that he was intoxicated in his lengthy post but explained that he had been feeling under the weather and was on medication. In order to fulfil his duties at Umhlobo Wenene, he foolishly added more medication.
"Determined to honour my date with the avid listeners of IQL and Umhlobo Wenene FM, I added more medication and took it more frequently, which, looking back, was quite foolish.
“This rendered me incoherent, and thus, delivering an extremely messy and substandard product on air which led many to believe I was intoxicated," he said.
The presenter went on to apologise to his listeners and explained that he had engaged with his superiors, who have accepted the necessary documentation to support his claim.
Mangesi confirmed he will be off air until 7 May after he and the station agreed he would take time off due to being negligent in his duties by coming to work sick and over-medicated.
"Both the station and I have agreed on some time off. Therefore, I shall be unscheduled on the basis that I was negligent in performing my duties by reporting to work sick and over-medicated instead of taking the day off," he said.