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Radio 94.7 presenters DJ Fresh and Euphonik have stepped down following rape allegations being levelled against them.
In a statement released yesterday, the Primedia Broadcasting-owned station said it had come to an agreement with the radio heavyweights for them to step down with immediate effect.
“Primedia Broadcasting and 94.7 have engaged with DJ Fresh [Thato Sikwane] and Euphonik [Themba Nkosi] regarding the alleged sexual assault charges levelled against them. We take these matters extremely seriously and apply a rigorous, systematic internal process to assess them,” said Geraint Crwys-Williams, Primedia Broadcasting’s acting chief executive.
“DJ Fresh and Euphonik have reached a mutual decision for both to come off air in order to focus on addressing this matter.”
This comes after a woman, who cannot be named due to the nature of the allegations, this week accused the pair of drugging and raping her more than 10 years ago, after a night out.
The woman challenged the pair to accept and take responsibility for her ordeal by publicly shaming them on Twitter.
“@Nampree @DJFreshSA & @euphonik will you ever acknowledge drugging me and further raping me? I was completely drugged and don’t know if you both raped me or if one of you did. You later laughed about it the next morning saying we (me and 3 girls) were so drunk we kept blacking out but nasidlwengula [you raped us],” read the tweet.
A second-year university student at the time, the woman alleged that she was a virgin when the alleged rape occured. She said she had been dependent on antidepressants since the incident.
Read: DJ fresh, the man who will not suffer any msunery
After news of their departure from Radio 94.7 emerged yesterday, Euphonik and DJ Fresh both released media statements on their social media pages.
“In light of the serious allegations levelled against us, we’ve decided to step away from all public work engagements until such time that this matter has been resolved and the law has taken its course,” the joint statement read.
Social activist and producer Lebo Mashile threw her weight behind the victim.
“I believe you, Sisi. These two have been named in far too many stories of abuse.
“It’s consistent. I am so sorry that this is what you went through. No one deserves it.
“Thanks hon [honey] for validating others who may be too scared to come forward right now,” Mashile said.
Songstress Simphiwe Dana also lent her support to the woman, saying: “Your emotional wellbeing is of utmost importance. That said, I believe you.”
In a social media campaign to name and shame sexual abusers in the worldwide #MeToo campaign last year, DJ Fresh’s name was mentioned as an alleged sexual perpetrator on various online platforms.
After sharing posts that indicated her knowledge of allegations levelled against the former Metro FM deejay, poet Ntsiki Mazwai was warned to stop sharing defaming posts about DJ Fresh.
On Wednesday, a case of rape was reportedly opened against Euphonik and DJ Fresh at the Sunnyside Police Station.
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