Johannesburg – Gareth Cliff has never been one to mince his words. The shock jock usually says exactly what’s on his mind, and many times, gets in trouble for it.
He’s started twars, written an open letter, been suspended, fired, and re-hired. Take a look at some of our top Gareth Cliff moments that had us on the edge of our seats.
1. Gareth leaves 5FM
After 10 years with the SABC, Gareth made the announcement in early 2014 that he would be leaving 5FM. Not only did the presenter leave the station, he took his whole team along with him!
“After two suspensions and several close-shaves, dozens of BCCSA complaints and almost as many management changes at the SABC, it’s time to get unhinged,” Gareth said in a press statement released by his manager.
2. Cliff Central is born
Not long after leaving 5FM Gareth made our jaws drop once again when he announced that he would be starting his own online radio station.
Two years down the line and Cliff Central is doing great. So well, in fact, that Gareth decided to join forces with Tbo Touch who resigned from Metro FM to start Touch Central.
3. That Fikile twar
Gareth’s #NoFilter approach to things can often end up being very controversial, and some time quite hilarious too. Take the twar he had with Minister Fikile Mbalula for example.
After sending this tweet in reference to the FIFA scandal...
Fikile came back fighting, throwing a number of insults Gareth’s way.
4. Gareth goes after Zuma
But it turns out Fikile is not the only politician Gareth is not afraid to take aim at. The star has, on more than one occasion, come out guns blazing against president Jacob Zuma. Besides the open letter he wrote to the president, the presenter also got people talking when he went on a rant aimed at Zuma and the Guptas on Cliff Central.
5. Fired, re-hired, and then resigned
Another moment that had South African’s gasping was when the news broke that M-Net had taken the decision to fire Gareth from Idols SA after he was embroiled in controversy regarding a race debate around estate agent, Penny Sparrow.
But of course, Gareth didn’t take this lying down. The shock jock took the case to court and won.
Happy ending, right? Well… after fulfilling his duties on the judging panel of the 12th season of Idols SA, Gareth made the decision to call it quits, resigning from the show.