Revered media personality Dineo Ranaka has allegedly entered into mutual separation negotiations with her radio station Kaya FM almost a year after she joined it from Metro FM.
Sources close to the talented radio superstar alleged that Ranaka, who has been off air for almost two months after suffering from another episode of depression, which resulted in her contemplating suicide, approached the station mandarins after her discharge from a Pretoria mental hospital and proposed that they negotiate a mutual separation agreement.
This, alleged the deep throat, because the phenomenal radio and television icon was still under the weather and wanted to take some time off from the airwaves to focus on her health.
The mole also alleged that although the station’s head honchos were flummoxed by Ranaka’s request, they begrudgingly acceded to it with the hope that they would convince her to stay at the station until her three-year contract comes to an end in 2025.
“The mutual separation negotiations are underway and they might be concluded in the next few days,” said the tipster who did not want to be identified for fear of compromising her relationship with the former Metro FM presenter.
Ranaka’s imminent departure from the Gauteng-based commercial station, said the informant, has been on the horizon since her social media meltdown.
The station hierarchy first got information from her associates that she would return to her cushy job after a week.
They then asked her colleague Sizwe Dhlomo to hold down the fort until she had fully recuperated to take back her morning slot, which she co-hosted with intrepid radio presenter Sol Phenduka.
“The initial agreement was that Sizwe will hold down the fort until end of June. But when they realised she was not coming to work, they then asked Sizwe to continue presenting the show until end of July.
“They told him that the show was doing extremely well under his stewardship and implored him to continue steering the ship. There is no doubt
Dineo was doing a good job but Sizwe did not disappoint either,” said the source. The source added it became even more apparent that Ranaka was on the verge of leaving Kaya FM when she was reportedly part of the South African celebrities who flew overseas to attend a Shisanyama festival in the US.
Ranaka was admitted to a Pretoria mental institution last month after she took to social media and announced that she was battling suicidal thoughts.
“I get it. I get them… Because I’m trying my best not to commit suicide. My mind is so loud of late, and life is f***ing hard, so f***ing hard, and I’m trying my best, but it seems my best isn’t enough,” she wrote.
The station’s managing director Colleen Louw released a statement, saying they wished her strength as she finds a way through her battle.
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