HLAUDI FREEZES PEARL OUT

SEXY TV and radio presenter Pearl Thusi has allegedly been fired by SABC ’ s Chief Operating Officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng for showing him a zap sign.

The SABC boss allegedly instructed Metro FM management to order Thusi not to set foot in the station ’ s studios.

Thusi was supposed to co-host the station ’ s popular The Real Phat Joe show with motormouth DJ Phat Joe yesterday. But Phat Joe presented the show alone.

The order also stretched to Thusi being banned from her show The

Blackout, airing on the biggest commercial radio station in South Africa on Sundays.

The model is also on the verge of losing her job on Isidingo.

That ’ s because Motsoeneng is said to be planning her removal from the SABC3 soapie.

Two SABC employees said Thusi ’ s dismissal came after her resignation from SABC1’s Live AMP music show to sign up as a presenter on an international show to be aired on SABC ’ s rival channels MTV, MTV Base and e.tv.

The model did this without seeking permission from the public broadcaster. On her new venture Lip Sync

Battle Africa, Thusi will be billed alongside Nigerian superstar D’banj.

According to the employees, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Motsoeneng held a series of meetings with Thusi.

Therein, he begged her not to leave the flagship TV music show.

SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago confirmed the meetings, but dismissed allegations that the SABC boss begged her not to jump ship.

“There was no begging, but it’s true that there was an engagement between Mr Motsoeneng and Thusi, ” said Kganyago.

“It is normal when SABC talent wants to leave for rival media houses, but we can’t divulge the contents of their discussions.”

One of the employees said Hlaudi advised her not to leave the show because Lip Sync was only going to run for at least three months.

According to the employee, Motsoeneng told Thusi new rules prohibited SABC talent from working for rival media houses without first obtaining permission, and that she would be in breach of her contract if she joined the e.tv show.

The second employee alleged Thusi then resigned from the show.

“On Saturday, the station management told her not to come to work after Hlaudi instructed them to tell her so,” said the second employee. “She’s making the same mistake Bonang made. She should have learnt from Bonang’s.”

He said Thusi knew she would be fired from all her other shows at the SABC when she resigned from Live

AMP.