INLSA
Controversial 5FM DJ and Idols judge Gareth Cliffs remarks on Afghanistan has opened a hornets nest of comments.
The broadcasting complaints body has confirmed it received a complaint about controversial 5FM DJ and Idols judge Gareth Cliff for utterances he made about Muslims on Tuesday.
Kim Erentzen, from the Broadcasting Complaints Commission, told The Mercury that one official complaint had been received about Cliff’s comments.
Cliff, on his live breakfast show, allegedly commented on the suicide bomb blast in Kabul, Afghanistan, in which eight South Africans died.
According to Zaheer Ismail, who sent out a broadcast message on BlackBerry Messenger, the DJ said: “There is nothing good in Afghanistan, nor is there anyone with any common sense.”
Ismail alleged that Cliff also said: “Westerners should leave these 13th-century barbarians to blow themselves up.”
According to Ismail, Cliff then insulted the entire Middle East and went on to mimic the Arabic language in an insulting way.
He said Cliff’s behaviour was “derogatory” and “offensive”, and described him as “callous, insulting and inconsiderate to say the least”.
Erentzen said the commission was reviewing the complaint.
Reprimand
She said Cliff could be fined as there were a lot of “reprimand sanctions”.
Cliff tweeted on his account on Tuesday: “And Christians, don’t be smug, you were doing exactly the same thing|400 years ago, before the enlightenment tamed you #Afghanistan.”
Dozens of people commenting on Facebook and Twitter were outraged and shocked.
Fathima Sheik Hoosen had harsh words for Cliff, tweeting: “@Gareth_Cliff very disgusted at ur distasteful and ignorant comments regarding Middle East…”
While Alex von Wonder tweeted: “Gareth Cliff thinks he’s being funny when he insults 1.6 billion Muslims. What a loser! #garethcliffsucks.”
Facebook user Safeerah Amod condemned the comments, saying: “Gareth Cliff must be the biggest idiot on radio! Making stupid statements about the Middle East and how they are all nut cases, maybe you should go and do some research on Islam.”
Tim Zunckel, 5FM programme manager, declined to answer detailed questions, saying: “Everyone has the right to complain to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa on matters they feel strongly about.”
Last September, the leader of the DA caucus in eThekwini council, Tex Collins, complained about Cliff to the commission after he said, in an interview with an Aids activist: “Girls of 22 usually do nothing but lie on their backs with their legs open.”
Cliff was cleared of the charges.
