Following allegations of being on air drunk, Umhlobo Wenene’s DJ Samora Mangesi was subsequently pulled off the show and suspended.

The SABC’s group executive: corporate affairs and marketing, Gugu Ntuli, confirmed that the station’s management team had initiated investigations against the anchor and that those investigations had been completed.

“Umhlobo Wenene FM management can confirm that the investigation pertaining to the matter concerning of Mr Mangesi has been completed and management will not comment on its contents as it pertains to an employer-employee relationship.”

The former Real Goboza presenter who hosted the Iqonga Labatsha slot, popularly known as #IQL, later took to his Facebook page to refute claims that he was drunk by detailing the events that led to his incoherency on air. 

Mangesi claimed to have been heavily medicated following a few days of not feeling well, which resulted in him missing his Friday show. Not wanting to miss yet another one on that fateful Saturday, he added more medication to what was already taken.

"This rendered me incoherent and thus delivering an extremely messy and substandard product on air which led many to believe I was intoxicated. Again, for this I humbly apologise. It has never been and continues to not be my intention to bring the SABC – which I have been with for the past 10 years, my family, myself and anybody else associated with me – into disrepute, be it intentionally or unintentionally,” he wrote on his page. 

Samora has since promised his listeners that he will be back on May 7, pending the results of the investigation which will be discussed with him, according to the SABC management. 

He further wrote: “I have been engaging with my superiors at Umhlobo Wenene and have provided them with the necessary documentation to support the above to which they have accepted. I would like to thank them and my colleagues at the station and far beyond even the realms of radio for the support and understanding that they have afforded me.

"I’d also like to thank my friends and those who may only know me from the airwaves who reached out and offered messages of support during what was an absolute whirlwind. Most importantly, I’d like to thank my mom who travelled across the country to come and nurse me back to health (sic).”