Investor sues Darren Scott over k-word

Hermanus - Radio personality Darren Scott, who got into serious hot water last year when he blamed booze for his use of the k-word to describe a colleague at a team-building event, is now being sued for R4 million by an investor who says Scott’s lapse cost him his investment – and future income.

This week Anthony Duke, who co-founded Capital Radio in 1979 and has worked at a number of national radio stations, served a summons on Scott for R4.3m. Now retired and living in Hermanus, Duke says he invested R1.125m in Scott’s Just Plain Media and Just Plain Productions last year.

Originally, the deal entailed buying a 20 percent stake in Just Plain Media, and a 10 percent stake in Just Plain Productions, for R1.5m. This was renegotiated in August, with Duke paying R1.125m for a 15 percent stake in the media company, and a 7.5 percent stake in the production company. Payments were made in April and June.

Duke says in his papers that there was an express term of the agreement that Scott, who was the name and face of the companies, would not do anything to jeopardise the companies’ good name, or his own personal image.

However, last September, while Scott was working at Gauteng radio station Jacaranda FM and at Supersport, he used the k-word in a widely reported incident. Scott claimed afterwards that alcohol had been consumed, and that the colleague had owed him money.

Scott quit both Jacaranda and Supersport following the incident. He currently broadcasts at internet radio station Ballz Radio.

Duke says in his papers that following the racial slur, several of the companies’ clients, which included Yum Brands which owns KFC, SAB Miller and TomTom, refused to maintain or renew their contracts. The companies were liquidated last December.

He is claiming R4.3m, which includes his lost investment, and past and future income. Duke was to have been employed at Just Plain Media, at a monthly salary of R25 000, in addition to his investment.

Duke’s alternative claim is to have his original investment repaid. He says in papers that Scott had, on a number of occasions said he would repay the R1.125m, but had failed to do so.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Scott confirmed receiving the summons, but said he would not comment any further.

Scott has had a difficult year personally. His young son Mark, who was diagnosed with cancer, has been undergoing extensive chemotherapy.

And earlier this year Ballz Radio, the internet station he founded, became embroiled in a media battle over listenership figures after blogger Shawn Dewberry questioned the tens of thousands claimed by Scott, finding that the numbers were more likely in the hundreds.

After an investigation proved Dewberry correct, Scott was forced to apologise to the blogger who he had called and berated on air. -Saturday Star