I'm a victim, says Cliff
2007-06-07 09:35
Johannesburg - Popular 5fm DJ Gareth Cliff believes his suspension because he found a news clip about a robbed shop owner amusing, is "completely inappropriate".
Cliff was taken off the air last Thursday and Friday following his outburst of laughter at a weeping Free State man whose shop had been looted during riots.
Cliff told Beeld that he was still in the dark about the grounds for the charges. He believed he was the victim of a "suspending spree" by SABC radio stations after several other announcers, including Lupi Ngcayisa from Metro FM, were recently suspended.
Cliff said it was not true that he and the station had agreed that the suspension would be suitable, as stated by 5fm.
According to Cliff his action was not malicious.
"It's a normal human reaction. If somebody gets hurt, it can be funny. (The victim) was not killed or assaulted. He lost his watermelons."
On his website he described his reaction to the clip as a case of "Schadenfreude".
Rina Broomberg, Cliff's manager, said they were getting a legal opinion about Cliff's position.
Bob Mabena, acting station manager for Metro FM, said Ngcayisa was taken off air for a day after he had used the "k-word" in a broadcast.
Mabena said this term was derogatory and opposed the SABC's editorial policy. Ngcayisa had to spend a day in the constitutional court to find out what the constitution said about derogatory words and apologise on air.