BREAKING: DJ Fresh and DJ Euphonik fired

Three weeks after being pulled off air as they faced rape allegations, Primedia Broadcasting confirmed on Wednesday that DJ duo Thato “DJ Fresh” Sikwane and Themba “DJ Euphonik” Nkosi have been “released from their contract”.

“Primedia Broadcasting can confirm that, after careful consideration of the events of the last few weeks, the company has decided to release DJ Fresh and Euphonik from their contracts. Their last shows on 947 were aired on January 15 and January 10, 2021, respectively.

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— DJ Fresh (Big Dawg) (@DJFreshSA) February 10, 2021

“This decision does not reflect a view on the veracity of any allegations against either Euphonik or Fresh. Rather it prioritises Primedia Broadcasting’s business imperatives. We believe that this decision is in the best interest of our company and our various stakeholders,” said Geraint Crwys-Williams, interim Primedia Broadcasting CEO.

Meanwhile, DJ Fresh has issued a statement on Twitter confirming that they would be resuming all public engagements.

“After extensive consultation, legal and otherwise, we have concluded that this is in our best interests to resume all of our public engagements. We look forward to our names being cleared. Unfortunately, we can’t find common ground with Primedia and have agreed a release from our obligations to the broadcaster, with immediate effect,” read the statement.

Rape allegations against the duo came to light earlier this month after a woman took to Twitter to detail the alleged incident, sparking a widespread debate among South Africans on social media.

In an exclusive interview with local newspaper, the woman, who requested her name not be published, confirmed she had opened a case of rape at Sunnyside police station on January 13.

She said the alleged rape occurred in 2011 at a chillas (small party) she attended with a friend, who was apparently invited by one of the DJs. At the time, she was a second-year student at the University of Pretoria, where she was studying towards a bachelor’s degree in commerce.

“First, I want to make it clear I was not some kind of stocko or whatsoever people call girls organised to entertain the DJs. I was simply accompanying a friend to a chillas, and that’s where the whole thing happened,” the woman told TshisaLIVE.

Police spokesperson Capt Mavela Masondo confirmed the existence of the case to TshisaLIVE on Thursday.

In light of the allegations Fresh and Euphonik had decided to step away from public engagements and “allow the law to take its course”.