POLICE Minister Bheki Cele has accused Ukhozi FM presenter, Zimiphi "Zimdollar" Biyela, of calling for the death of National Intervention Unit (NIU) member, Warrant Officer Sthembiso Mazibuko.
He said Zimdollar is the spokesperson of criminals and wants to know what the SABC is saying about this.
Cele was speaking at Mazibuko's funeral service in KwaMashu L section hall on Sunday, 22 October.
Mazibuko was a member of the NIU. He was shot dead when he and his team stormed a house in Ntuzuma on Tuesday, 17 October while they were looking for wanted suspects. Another police was wounded during the shooting.
Cele's accusations came after Zimdollar verbally attacked the SAPS live on air on 21 September 2023 during her midday show, The Dannie 12-2-3.
At the time, she accused SAPS NIU of randomly killing people. Zimdollar was actually responding to the killing of Nkululeko Mkhize by NIU cops, who was shot dead in a gun battle with cops on 20 September 2023.
Mkhize's death didn't sit well with Zimdollar, who said: "This is suspicious because every time they kill someone, they say they were defending themselves. The question is why must they defend themselves all the time."
She said they just go on a shooting spree.
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"We're not kids. We can see that they've been given an instruction to kill people. In the process, innocent people are killed. I'm saddened by this because my brothers were killed in this fashion. The police used the same excuse and said they were protecting themselves. No one is investigating," she said.
Zimdollar said NIU is feared by most people and all they do is shoot and kill people.
"On behalf of the South African community, I'd like to know who is speaking on behalf of the victims," she said.
But her statement didn't sit well with SAPS with the minister accusing her of causing Mazibuko's death.
Cele said: "There's a girl by the name of Zimdollar who went to a radio station and barked. She barked saying what she liked. She barked two things, she said her brothers died and they were killed by the NIU, but she didn't say why they died. She said NIU is feared, when NIU arrives people get scared. In short, she was saying NIU shouldn't be feared but should be attacked, that's why there is this.
"Secondly, she said NIU always says they're being shot at, but they arrived and find people sitting but they are shot at. Meaning she was giving an order that NIU should be shot at. Zimdollar should be happy that NIU has been shot. This is it. She made this call. And I haven't heard what SABC says about this."
He continued:
Daily Sun tried to get hold of Zimdollar for comment, but her cellphone was off. The SunTeam also sent a text message, but there was no response.
SABC acting Group Executive for Corporate Affairs, Mmoni Seapolelo said: "The SABC has dealt with the matter within its stakeholder relationship management framework and internal processes. Furthermore, an apology to both the stakeholder concerned and a public apology on Ukhozi FM was issued."
