Amon Mokoena and Thatho Mataboge, two Metro FM DJs who host a weekly midday show, have refused to carry out an interview with US singer Chris Brown, saying that ‘[They] don’t want to be associated with Chris Brown’ because they are currently pushing a positive message concerning 16 Days Against Women and Child Abuse. According to them, carrying out the interview would lead to a ‘schizophrenic impression on audiences’.

Along with Mokoena and Mataboge, programming manager Caren Olsen, sales manager Hazel Tlhabanyane and station manager Martin Vilakazi have also stated their opposition to the singer’s Carpe Diem tour concert in South Africa.

However, spokesperson for the SABC Kaizer Kganyago said that Mokoena and Mataboge’s thoughts were irrelevant to the business agreement made between Metro FM and concert promoter Canoc Productions.

Brown assaulted his singer girlfriend Rihanna in February 2009, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to community service. In September this year, Brown’s latest album, Fortune, was defaced by protesters in London, by storming in to music stores and pasting stickers saying, ‘Do not buy this album! This man beats women.’

The singer performed in Johannesburg on Saturday and in Durban on Monday. He is still set to perform two shows in Cape Town on 19 and 20 December.