Gauteng police on Friday confirmed that a formal rape case was opened against the two music giants. Sikwane (DJ Fresh) reacted to his newest accuser, saying: “Each time someone succumbs to the temptation of using GBV to further personal agendas, the cause to eradicate this scourge takes a step backward.”

Themba Nkosi has not responded to the allegation. Meanwhile, their employer Primedia has announced that the pair will “947 and Primedia Broadcasting have engaged with DJ Fresh (Thato Sikwane) and Euphonik (Themba Nkosi) regarding the alleged sexual assault charges levelled against them,” Primedia acting chief executive officer Geraint Crwys-Williams said in a statement on Saturday. “We take these matters extremely seriously and apply a rigorous, systematic internal process to assess them. Primedia Broadcasting, DJ Fresh and Euphonik have reached a mutual decision for both DJs to come off air in order to focus on addressing this matter.”

Earlier this week, @Nampree accused the two music industry giants of drugging and raping her. “@Nampree @DJFreshSA @euphonik will you ever acknowledge drunking me further raping me? I was completed drugged I don't know whether you BOTH raped me or 1 of you did you later laughed about it the next morning saying we (me 3 girls) were so drunk we kept blacking out but nasidlwengula, you raped us,” read the tweet.

DJ Fresh, in an email to Saturday Star, said: ”I am aware that assertions have been made about me on social media and I understand that this is often the price of being in the public eye. The fact that these claims are untrue and from an unknown source, does not make them less hurtful. “Furthermore, I am deeply concerned that spurious allegations about GBV – especially as it is one of the most significant societal challenges in South Africa undermine the gravity of legitimate incidents, and impact the urgency with which they are attended. “Please, should you have a substantiated concern or be the victim of a genuine case of GBV, I urge you to immediately go to your local police station and lay a charge. Pursuing the matter through a legal and criminal process is the best way to ensure that you get the protection you need.” Responding to the tweet, poet and actress Lebogang Mashile said she believed the woman and commended her for speaking out.

"Thanks, hon for validating others who may be too scared to come forward right now,” said Mashile. In 2020 DJ Fresh was forced to deny allegations of sexual assault first levelled against him on social media during 2019. Via the Twitter account @AmINext, Sikwane was accused of rape at a club in Johannesburg. Activist and poet Ntsiki Mazwai also posted on social media that the former Metro FM host was a rapist, but was later ordered by the High Court to refrain from making any further statements regarding the media personality. In a statement released at the time, Sikwane said: “I have never been one to shy away from taking responsibility for my actions and will not be starting now.

I have faced all manner of false accusations from anonymous and identified parties; to which I have rarely responded”. Speaking after the court's ruling in favour of the presenter, digital law expert Emma Sadleir cautioned against the naming and shaming of people on social media without proof that the accusations are true and that the sharing of the information would be in the public interest. “There’s no question that to call somebody either a sexual offender or a rapist is one of the most defamatory things you can say about somebody.

And it doesn’t matter whether you make that allegation to five people or to five million people,” Sadleir said. “As soon as it’s been published on any of these social media platforms, even if it’s a small WhatsApp group, then the legal issues around defamation are triggered.” She discouraged social media users from "jumping on the bandwagon”. Primedia Broadcasting, in an email to Saturday Star, said: “947 and Primedia Broadcasting are evaluating all information in relation to the alleged misconduct of DJ Fresh and Euphonik. We take these matters extremely seriously and apply a rigorous, systematic internal process to assess them. We are awaiting substantiation of the current information from the relevant authorities. Once we have this, we will respond accordingly.”