Knives have been drawn out for controversial Ukhozi FM radio personality Zimiphi “Zimdollar” Biyela after her public tiff with Police Minister Bheki Cele.
Insiders at the SABC-owned radio station told Sunday World this week that several presenters are not happy with Biyela’s prima-donna tendencies.
“If it was another presenter, she would have long been suspended,” explained one gatvol presenter who declined to be named citing safety reasons.
“Because she has a cozy relationship with the bosses, she is being protected.”
Biyela stunned listeners of Ukhozi FM when she accused members of the SA Police Service’s national intervention unit (NIU) of slaughtering his five brothers unprovoked.
She made the comments on her radio show in which she co-hosts with King Sfiso, born Sfiso Sibiya.
Biyela said his brother was slaughtered by a police unit in KwesakaBiyela, a village outside eMpangeni in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
She accused the police’s unit of killing her siblings, saying no action was taken against the police officers.
Cele hits back at Biyela
Cele hit back at Biyela and accused her of protecting hitmen and using a public platform to launch an attack and hatred against the police officers.
“There is a lady on the radio called Zimdollar who went on air and spoke ill of the police. She said whatever she wanted to say about the NIU,” lambasted Cele at the funeral of Warrant Officer Sthembiso Mazibuko, a member of the NIU.
“She gave us a long speech about the death of her brothers without explaining how she lost them at the hands of NIU.”
Mazibuko was shot and killed during a shootout between police and alleged assassins in Durban’s Ntuzuma over a week ago.
Cele said the utterances by Biyela that the NIU members killed innocent civilians in their sleep was a declaration of war. He called on the SABC to discipline the radio presenter.
Biyela’s anger and tirade was apparently triggered by the death of her close confidante, Nkululeko Mkhize, who died in a shootout with police in the posh suburb of Zimbali estate in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal north coast in September.
Mkhize was apparently a feared taxi warlord accused of terrorising and demanding money from those who feared him.
Aggrieved staff plan a petition
Another Ukhozi FM employee said aggrieved staff intends to write a petition to SABC bosses demanding that action be taken against Biyela.
“We cannot allow a situation where some presenters are untouchable. Other presenters like Ngizwe Mchunu were fired for lesser offenses,” said the employee.
SABC acting group executive for corporate affairs and marketing Mmoni Seapolelo told Sunday World that the matter has been put to bed.
“The organisation dealt with the matter within its policies and considers it closed,” said Seapolelo.
“And as a matter of principle, the SABC does not discuss matters relating to employer-emoloyee relationship.”
Biyela was not immediately available for comment at the time of publishing. Her comment will be included in the story once she has responded.
