Lesedi FM DJ Matshokgo Mahloko Denies Falling Asleep on Air During Live Show
- Lesedi FM's Dikalaneng Weekend show went eerily silent in the early hours of Sunday, 2 August, leaving listeners puzzled
- An insider claimed DJ Matshokgo Mahloko had fallen asleep in the studio, prompting security guards to alert station management
- The SABC confirmed the broadcast disruption and apologised to listeners, but Mahloko insisted his show ran without any problems
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Lesedi FM presenter Matshokgo Mahloko is pushing back against claims that he dozed off during his live radio show, after his station's management was forced to acknowledge a broadcast blackout that left listeners hearing nothing but automated music.
The incident took place in the early hours of Sunday, 2 August, during the Dikalaneng Weekend show, which runs between 2 am and 6 am. Mahloko's voice dropped off the air without warning, and the station's backup music system kicked in to fill the silence. An insider told Sunday World that security personnel stationed at Lesedi FM's Bloemfontein studios first picked up on the problem when the presenter's voice went quiet for a prolonged stretch.
What the security guards noticed
According to the insider, the guards alerted business manager Mamontha Motaung and programmes manager Mannini Nyokong about what was unfolding in Studio 4. The source alleged that Mahloko had fallen asleep, though Sunday World was unable to independently confirm this claim.
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Beyond the embarrassment of dead air, the incident reportedly created a commercial headache for the station after scheduled paid advertisements allegedly went unplayed during the blackout.
SABC spokesperson Mmoni Ngubane confirmed the disruption to Sunday World, saying:
"We apologise to our listeners for the disruption to Lesedi FM's live programming on Sunday morning. The signal stayed on air and music continued to play, but the live show did not run as our audience expects, and we regret that."
When pressed on whether Mahloko had been drinking, had fallen asleep, or was facing suspension pending an internal investigation, Ngubane declined to address the specifics. She said:
"As a rule, we don't discuss internal employee matters in the public domain, so we won't comment on the specifics, other than to say that where standards slip, we address it internally through the proper channels.”
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Mahloko disputes the claims
Mahloko himself told Sunday World he had no knowledge of any incident during his broadcast. He said:
"All I can tell you is that my show went ahead without any glitches. It is news to me that there were problems during my show to the point that it went off air.”
He did acknowledge seeing his two managers at the studio while he was on air but said he could not explain their presence. Lesedi FM is an SABC-owned adult contemporary station that broadcasts in Sesotho from both Bloemfontein and Johannesburg, reaching audiences across South Africa on different FM frequencies.
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Source: Briefly News
