Kaya FM has revealed the real reasons why it dismissed Dineo Ranaka amid complaints from her fans that the company mandarins were uncouth and uncompassionate for getting rid of the presenter extraordinaire who suffers from depression.
Dineo Ranaka announced on social media last week that she had been expelled from the Johannesburg-based commercial radio station.
This after Sunday World broke the news that the parties had mutually cut ties.
In an internal memo sent to Kaya FM employees last week, acting managing director Collen Louw said the station bent over backward to accommodate Dineo Ranaka’s challenges and even facilitated her admission to a mental institution.
However, Dineo Ranaka went AWOL.
Relating the station’s frustration, Louw said the former Metro FM and YFM presenter did not take her employer into confidence about her medical challenges, but instead took to social media to announced that she was harbouring suicidal thoughts.
“Kaya FM has announced the termination of the services of presenter Dineo Ranaka with immediate effect,” said the radio station in a memo.
“The morning [show] presenter has been off air since the 22nd of May when she did not appear for her show, and the station was subsequently alerted to her public outcry on social media, which led to an unfortunate medical diagnosis.”
Louw said in an effort to support Dineo Ranaka during her difficult period, the station made contact with a mental health organisation for guidance, which among other measures facilitated the media personality’s admission to a wellness facility for a week.
Afterwards, added Louw, the radio station repeatedly tried in vain to reach out to Dineo Ranaka in a bid to find out if she was convalescing from her illness.
“Following several unsuccessful efforts by Kaya FM 959 to engage with Dineo Ranaka on her wellness journey, the station had to take a difficult decision to part ways with her.
“While we place great value on our people and their wellbeing, we have to balance this with the needs of the business.
“At this juncture, it is in the interest of the company to bring consistency to the station’s operational needs in order to best serve our clients and listeners.”
Despite pink-slipping her, the benevolent Louw said the station would continue to lend a helping hand to Dineo Ranaka and hope that they could work together again.
“Kaya 959 is prepared to continue supporting Dineo’s mental wellness journey and we hope that she will be open to discussing possible mutually beneficial opportunities in future.
“We are grateful for Dineo’s valuable contribution to Kaya 959 during her time with us and wish her well.”
When approached for comment Dineo Ranaka referred us to her lawyer Paul Samuels who confirmed that she was fired from Kaya FM and that they were going to challenge the termination at the appropriate forum.
“We do not wish to prejudice our client’s case, we are of the opinion that it is inept to talk to the media at such an early stage of the dispute and before proper instructions have been taken from our client,” he said.
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