Ukhozi FM's Tshatha Ngobe on Covid-19 'testing error'

Ukhozi FM presenter Tshatha Ngobe is relieved after a second Covid-19 test result came back negative. This after, he questioned his initial positive result after his wife tested negative. 

Tshatha recently revealed he had tested positive for Covid-19 during his radio show on Wednesday where he told listeners he had been working from home.

“I wish to inform Ukhozi listeners that I have been working from home. As you would know, on Tuesday, I posted a video of myself on Instagram getting tested for the virus. The test came out positive.” 

Feeling relieved that he didn't contract the virus, Tshatha shared another video where he spoke to SABC’s isiZulu news channel on how he felt about the error in his test results.

“My question was how does it happen that my wife was tested for Covid-19 but her results came back negative and mine came back positive. What surprised me was that this is someone I live with at home, spend most of my time with but her result turns out to be negative when I am positive?

“That’s when we asked ourselves what’s going on ... I then asked people at work to see the proof of the results that claimed I was positive.”

The report explained that the lab that issued the results admitted they made a mistake with Tshatha’s results but assured that such errors hardly ever happen.

The radio presenter explained that he was expected to attend “something” at the beginning of June and it was a requirement that he get tested for Covid-19.

In a statement issued to TshisaLIVE, SABC acting spokesperson Mmoni Seapolelo said the public broadcaster had noted with concern the new developments regarding a reported positive case of Covid-19 involving an employee based at their Durban office.

“The confirmation for the positive test results that was reported yesterday was based on the official lab results presented to the employee.

“The employee has since been alerted by the lab in question that an error occurred during the initial testing and the employee was presented with the new test results whose outcome was negative.”

The statement further read that the SABC was in possession of both results which has resulted in the temporary closure of the Durban office and some staff members urgently undergoing testing.

The office is set to resume operation on Friday, May 29.