Vukani “Chilli M” Masinga has been fired from Ukhozi FM for accepting bribes from artists in exchange for airplay. Image: SABC.

Radio DJ Vukani ‘Chilli M’ Masinga, popularly known as ‘Daddy’, has been fired from uKhozi FM for accepting bribes from musicians in exchange for playing their songs on air. His firing comes three weeks after a group called Street Boyz made accusations of bribery against him. The group told Sunday Sun in June that they paid Daddy R7 500 to get airplay and interviews. However, the DJ never played their music. They were also not invited for an interview. Following the publication of these allegations, which Daddy denied at that time, the SABC launched an investigation.

On Thursday the public broadcaster released a statement saying Chilli M’s contract had been terminated. “The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has terminated with immediate effect, the contract of Vukani ‘Chilli M’ Masinga.

Masinga joined Ukhozi FM in 2012 and was co-hosting the station’s weekday midday show, “Nethezeka NoKhozi”.

The termination follows an investigation into allegations of payola,” the SABC said in a statement. SABC spokesperson Kaiser Kganyago said Masinga admitted to accepting bribes from artists.

According to reports, Masinga, who revealed a while ago that he suffers from end stage liver failure due to his alcoholic past, said he was broke after the death of his daughter last year and his financial problems made him fall into the temptation of accepting payola.

In addition to terminating his contract, the SABC indicated that it would take legal action against Chilli M and those who bribed him. It then advised the public to follow the right processes to submit music and warned that fraud and corruption would not be tolerated.