TVOM STATION MANAGER ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARRASMENT
Sexual Harassment, Mismanagement of Funds and ill-treatment of radio presenters are some of the allegations that are levelled by the staff members of the Matatiele Community Radio station against the station manager of the Matatiele Community Radio Station, Mphumzi Mashalaba. Last week the presenters, the news readers and general staff decided to down tools and switched of the radio station known as the Voice of Matat demanding Mphumzi Mashalaba to leave the station. By that time more than 10 interns who are funded by Seta were complaining that they have not received salaries for the month of August.
In an interview then Mashalaba told The Informer that he is trying by all means to raise funds and pay the interns. According to the interns they were ultimately paid. But the permanent staff could not be paid. The Voice of Matat will begin its second week being switched off. Presenters have vowed that they are prepared to keep the radio in silent till they are sure Mashalaba is not coming back.
As if that is not enough another presenter has opened a case of sexual harassment against Mashalaba. Matatiele police have confirmed that they are investigating case number 75/9/2022 which was registered on the 22 of September 2022 at Matatiele Police Station against him.
Some of the presenters said there are more than 3 female presenters who are prepared to talk about Mashalaba’s sexual advances. It is said that one of the presenters had to leave the station without finishing his internship after she could not withstand the station Manager’s habit.
Attempts to hear Mashalaba’s side of the story fell flat as he could not respond to a number of phone calls made to him. The Informer understands that Mashalaba is not letting this lying down. He is collecting all the ammunition that is going to help him fight back. A source close to him said Mashalaba’s strategy includes soliciting legal advice to help him fire “all the presenters that want to take over my radio station”. Another strategy is to play a victim and blame everybody who is not sharing his view.
Luncedo Walaza who is the communication’s Manager of the Matatiele Local Municipality and the Mayor of the same municipality Sonwabile Mngenela are some of the prominent people that he has blamed for what is happening at TVOM. He said what is happening at the station is a plot against him facilitated by the Mayor using Walaza. Mashalaba can be heard mentioning the two names in a recorded discussion with the EFF leader who wanted his response about what is happening in the radio station. In his comment Mayor Sonwabile Mngenela said he has not heard about Mashalaba’s allegations against him.
On the other hand Communication’s Manager Luncedo Walaza voiced disappointment about Mashalaba’s utterances. “First let me put it clearly the municipality’s interest towards this community radio station was to see this station growing bigger and serving the people of Matatiele without hassles from its inception. I remember I was given a responsibility by the then Municipal Manager Dr Tsepang Nakin to make sure that this radio functions well. As a consequence the municipality began by paying R200 000 towards its Transmission pole so that it can go on air. We have also spent more or less million rand of funds in the last financial year. It is disappointing therefore to have a station manager who is causing instability in the institution and have audacity to blame any body else other than himself. Mr Mashalaba this is the community project not your Spaza shop”, Walaza concluded.
