At the 7th Simply You Magazine and Lifestyle Fashion Awards held this Saturday, an unexpected controversy erupted when Fresh FM radio presenter NSK interrupted proceedings after losing the Best Radio Presenter award to NBC’s Donald Kariseb. Following the announcement, NSK took to the stage, expressing his displeasure, stating that he couldn’t believe he had lost to Kariseb.
“Deep down you know you are not better than me and deep down in your heart you look up to me, bro so how is it possible that you are telling me that l am losing an award to him?”, said NSK, adding that Kariseb did not deserve to win the award.
NSK during SYMLFA award |
The situation was quickly diffused by Luis Munana, who escorted NSK from the stage.
In response to the incident, the award organizers issued a formal apology, expressing regret for the disruption that overshadowed Kariseb's achievement.
Kuriseb Donald during SYMLFA, won Best Male Radio Presenter |
"We deeply regret that Donald Kariseb, winner of the Male Radio Presenter of the Year award, experienced inappropriate and unacceptable behavior during the event. We want to assure the public that we are taking this matter seriously and are implementing measures to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future,” read the statement.
Donald Kariseb during SYMLFA |
Fresh FM also moved swiftly, suspending NSK for a week. In a public statement, the station expressed its regret over the incident and acknowledged the public interest surrounding it.
“Following the recent incident at the weekend's SYM Awards, we recognize the public interest and commentary regarding Fresh FM’s response, and we want to assure our listeners and partners that we are addressing the matter with the utmost seriousness,” the statement read.
The radio station further explained that NSK had been unavailable for a formal debriefing after appearing on air briefly on Monday morning, delaying their investigation. Fresh FM underscored its commitment to “celebrating and uplifting local talent and achievements” and condemned NSK’s behavior, stating it did not reflect their values of respect, professionalism, and community support.
With the investigation complete, Fresh FM announced that NSK will serve the rest of his suspension this week and will return to the air on Monday morning to address the matter directly with listeners.