DURBAN - Metro FM presenter Masechaba Ndlovu has admitted her conduct on the controversial interview with Babes Wodumo was unprofessional and was a breach of the broadcasting code of ethics.
In May, Ndlovu revealed during a live interview on the radio station that the gqom musician, whose real name is Bongekile Simelane, had been allegedly assaulted by her former partner, musician Nathi ‘Mampintsha’ Maphumulo.
Maphumulo denied he had assaulted the musician.
Speaking to Real Talk with Azania this week, Ndlovu said what she did to Babes was unprofessional.
“What I did was unprofessional, it went against the code of conduct of broadcasting… In that moment, not only did I break the rules, but, I basically threw my entire career under the bus by trying to protect a young lady,” said Ndlovu
“I removed my professional cap and I stopped being a broadcaster, and I became a human and I became a woman, because in that moment… she was shaking because he was stalking her on her phone, that was the first interview that he didn’t know about,” said Ndlovu.
Ndlovu revealed that Babes and her former manager Keke Mokoena had approached her at the Black Panther premiere in Johannesburg, where she was told by the manager that ‘Babes needed help, help her’.
“They approached me to help Babes, Babes needs help, in her presence. ‘Help her’, she is terrified, she was there with her manager Keke,” said Ndlovu.
Ndlovu said four meetings at her house were planned, but at all four occasions, there were cancellations at the last minute.
She also revealed that before the on air interview, she was told Babes would not be talking about the assault allegations as she was afraid.
“Come to the day of the interview they decided to pull back on the interview because now Babes is terrified… I said we going to hold back and speak about the music, but I did (talk about the abuse allegations),” she said.
Ndlovu said the truth about the saga would come out, but it was upto Babes to speak it.
“Every single female public figure who decided to take it upon themselves to speak about what they knew nothing about, is going to be incredibly embarrassed. I'm sorry to tell you this, there's a backstory that I can't even tell on this platform. I did not humiliate Babes, Babes was relieved,” she insisted.
“I have recordings of conversations between myself and phone calls from Babes, her mother, her father, her uncle, the people in her life… The intention was to free her so Mampintsha could not hurt her anymore,” she said.