People used to like their DJs controversial – just think of a guy like Howard Stern and the success he has had off the back of being the ultimate shock-jock. There are some things, however, that you best not joke about unless you want to face the wrath of the public.

5Fm traffic reporter Sol Phenduka found that out the hard way when he made some off-colour remarks about Marli van Breda, the young lass whose family was attacked by an axe-wielding madman (we all know who that was by now, no prizes for guessing).

Phenduka would have been relieved yesterday though when the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) chose not to intervene in his disciplinary process. This from TimesLive:

Six complaints were lodged with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA.

In its ruling earlier this month, the Tribunal found that, “in spite of the fact that the complaints were understandable and the remarks were clearly unacceptable in the circumstances, they did not go so far as to justify an intervention” under the Broadcasting Code.

Whilst social norms would condemn the offensive remarks, a legal intervention would tend to carve away at the freedom of expression principle in our Constitution…

The BCCSA added that the SABC was already investigating the matter internally.

Perhaps this should be a lesson to all that you want to let the dust settle somewhat before you make jokes about the victim of an axe murder attack, especially when the butt of your jokes is a 16-year-old girl.

[source:timeslive]