Cape Town - A Cape Town radio presenter was taken off air for allegedly entertaining Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis on Eid.
Shafiek Sedick was dragged on social media after a Facebook post by the mayor, on April 11, went viral.
In the post, which was later edited to remove his name, the mayor wrote: “Lovely Eid lunch with Aunty Saieda Lotters & Shafiek Sedick who are serving the Wynberg community tirelessly through their feeding programmes. Shukran, die kos was regtig heerlik. (sic)”
The post caused a stir online and angered the local Muslim community, who have slammed the Democratic Alliance for not condemning the genocide in Palestine.
Sedick is the chairman of the Wynberg Concerned Citizens (WCC), which hosted Hill-Lewis on Eid ul Fitr, but the radio presenter on Voice of the Cape has denied being involved in the event.
He issued a statement clarifying his political stance and why he kept quiet for five days following the viral post.
Sedick posted: “An erroneous post by the mayor of Cape Town with my name attached came to light of a particular lunch. I was silent on this matter because I needed to have a meeting with my employer. Management has acknowledged evidence and proof of this particular lunch that I wasn’t present.
“I was neither involved in an invitation, the actual lunch or the hosting of it. I wish to express that I do not have any political affiliations with the mayor of Cape Town nor the Democratic Alliance (sic).”
The popular presenter said he has been slandered which left him fearing for his life. He added: “I went into hiding. I was scared for my own life. You guys have no idea how your negative comments impacted my life.
“My family, and my friends had to stay away and know this, even if you did slander me, I still forgive you.”
City councillor Hanif Loonat was one of the first to challenge and tag Sedick, and posed 12 questions to him on Facebook.
Loonat wrote: “The organisation he represents (WCC) supports the Zionists by giving them recognition. I believe they benefit from the City of Cape Town in the form of sponsors.
“It’s clearly the promotion of a party that’s supporting the genocide in Palestine. If he is innocent then he needs to answer my questions proposed.”
A former member of the WCC also took to social media, where he announced his resignation from the WCC.
Reyyaan Bardien explains that he had raised his concerns about hosting the mayor given the “DA stance... towards us Muslims raising Palestinian flags and painting Palestine murals on walls”.
He added that he had confronted Sedick, “who was present at this Eid lunch”.
In a statement on Sunday, VOC said: “...Sedick was one of the hosts of this gathering. Consequently, Sedick was removed from the station’s programming and will remain off air pending further investigation into this matter. VOC takes this matter very seriously in light of the current genocide against Palestine.”
However, VOC station manager Goolam Fakier on Tuesday clarified that Sedick was not suspended or fired.
He said: “Shafiek is not suspended, but a mutual agreement reached between him and me suggests he should take a break for a few weeks and an investigation is still under way. He will still be... paid [while off air]... but this is the best for him and the station because someone on social media said they will come to VOC to ‘moer’ Shafiek.”
Commenting on the saga, Mayor Hill-Lewis said: “The VOC should not be bullied and intimidated by a few intolerant individuals who have engaged in politically-driven bullying of a man [Mr Sedick] who has done nothing wrong, and in fact is a great servant to his community.”