Unathi Nkayi on Podcast and Chill. Picture: Unathi / Instagram
Former Metro FM and Kaya959 radio jock on Unathi Nkayi has opened up about why she will never return to radio, saying the medium “broke me”.
The former Idols presenter was speaking to MacG and Sol Phenduka on the Podcast and Chill show.
Known for her engaging on-air presence, Nkayi was fired from Kaya959 after a highly publicized dispute with fellow jock Sizwe Dhlomo and station manager Sibongile Mtyali.
In 2021, Dhlomo and Nkayi got into a heated argument at the Kaya959 station which led to Nkayi laying a formal complaint and accusing her former colleague of verbal abuse.
The matter then led to Nkayi being fired after recordings of the argument were released.
During the podcast, MacG, real name Macgyver Mukwevho, asked her if she would ever go back to radio and she detailed her experience, candidly expressing her reluctance to return to radio and how the tension created by the station manager’s decisions took a significant toll on her personal well-being.
“Why would I want to go back to a place that constantly hurts me? I had to walk away from MetroFM because of one woman, and an institution allowed her to behave that way,’’ said Nkayi.
She further shared that Mytali went on to be a station manager at Kaya959, where she moved to after leaving MetroFM, and the station still allowed her to mistreat Nkayi.
‘’I embarrassed her in front of Hlaudi,’’ says the former Idols judge as she recalls how the disagreements between her and the station began.
She details that there was history between the two, where she apparently embarrassed Mtyali in front of former chief operating officer of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Hlaudi Motsoeneng, when she proved to him that she had sent an email apologising to Mtyali after being suspended for putting the station in disrepute, however Mtyali had said the apology was not extended resulting in Nkayi still being suspended.
This strained the relationship, which ultimately led to her decision to leave the industry behind.
The conversation also touched on thoughts about the broader challenges faced by radio professionals, particularly the impact of managerial instability.
She shared her hopes for better working environments for future talents and reflected on her journey, advising young broadcasters to always stay prepared and stay true to themselves without getting lost in admiration for who they look up to.
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