A Metro FM DJ who is also a presenter for one of the trending shows has tested positive for COVID-19.
However, his colleagues are allegedly up in arms because they accuses him put them at risk of contracting the virus because he continued coming to work despite suspecting that he contracted the deadly virus.
Sunday World can reveal that as result of this discovery, the DJ and his colleagues, one a fellow DJ, a newsreader and a sports presenter, were instructed to vacate the studios on Thursday last week and immedIately advised to self isolate at home.
The four radio talent, according to a source in the station’s management team, are now doing the show while quarantining at home.
A family friend of the DJ said he started by feeling sick two weeks ago after he went jogging.
These details were also confirmed by one of the SABC managers who is privy to the matter.
“He went to see a doctor and nothing came of it. When he felt fluish a few days after he went back to the doctor and asked to be tested for COVID-19. Thats when he received his results (I think he tested on Friday and got his results on Sunday). He’s never been to work since,” the manager said.
The member of the management team also confirmed that the DJ’s colleagues were worried about their health following the announcement.
“This thing is getting scary because people are dying,” said the source.
The insider said all the presenters for the show were now working from home and the station was now trying by all means to limit the number of people who work in the studio.
The source said immediately after the DJ confirmed his positive status, the studios were disinfected and all presenters who had been in contact with him were asked to conduct the test and to self isolate at home.
“Luckily no one has presented with symptoms yet. But as required by protocols, everyone who came into contact with him was requested go self isolate and/or get tested. There hasn’t been any positive case,” said the source who was reading from the report prepared by the station.
SABC Spokesperson Mmoni Seapolelo said: “The SABC can confirm that one of Metro FM’s independent contractors tested positive for COVID-19. In line with government guidelines and SABC regulations on COVID-19, upon receipt and confirmation of positive results, the SABC observed all protocols and the individual who tested positive as well as those who came in contact with this particular case, are in self-isolation,” Seapolelo said.
“The programme which this individual is a part of is currently on air as all team members are working remotely. In line with internal COVID -19 protocols, the workplace in question was immediately deep-cleaned and sanitized and is currently open and safe to work from. At this stage, the SABC is not aware of any other positive test results which may have been as a result of this incident,” Seapolelo added.
The DJ read but did not respond to questions sent to him.
