ORANGE FARMS. – Disgruntled community members of Orange Farms stormed the studios and closed Thetha FM radio station on Monday. This was apparently due to dissatisfaction about the way the station conducts its current affairs programmes. Another issue that was raised was an amount of R3, 8 million that was apparently misused by ‘a trust’.

The money was apparently meant for community development programmes. The station management also apparently called new DA Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba to address the community without involving other community members on Monday which fuelled the situation.

The disgruntled members are said to have called for the immediate closure of Thetha FM pending an independent investigation on the operations of the station. They said that the station was used as a platform to spread propaganda which discredits the ANC and that the councillors of ANC were falsely accused of corruption on a daily basis while the councillors from other parties were praised for the ‘good work’ that they were doing in the community.

“Theta FM has been captured by an individual who runs the station like a personal spaza shop. Workers of Thetha FM go unpaid for months and those who dare to complain are fired. Thetha FM must be run as a community radio,” said the community members in a letter that was apparently sent to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).

Speaking to Sedibeng Ster Ward 3 councillor Lucky ‘Rambo’ Mavuso said that the station had lost control when it came to community news where they were showing favour to certain political parties. “All we want is fairness and nothing else. This is a community station. What they are doing is dividing the community.” CEO of Thetha FM Jimmy Dlamini said that they have met the group and that all the issues have been resolved. The station is back on air.