Former Gagasi FM presenter Clarisa Mfeka has come out and spoke about her experience working with radio presenter and actor Kininonke “Kini” Shandu.
In a two-part video on Tuesday, Mfeka said for the first time in years she felt vindicated and, when she saw the backlash Shandu received for a Facebook post about women, she felt he deserved it.
Workplace disrespect
Mfeka narrated that she experienced disrespect from Shandu in a work environment in 2016 when she was co-hosting a midday show with Shandu who had been doing the show for years.
“It was a horrible experience working with him. Prior to working with him I did not know this man,” said Mfeka.
“From the day we met with management, it was horrible and if it were not for our content producer who was a buffer between us, I probably would not have contributed to the show.”
She said even from strategising on how to make the show work, Shandu did not want that.
“He made me feel so worthless. The disrespect was so loud and he made me feel like I didn’t deserve to be there. He made sure I felt his dislike towards me.
“I kept making excuses as to why he was treating me that way, so it could make sense to me.”
Survival mode
Mfeka said Shandu would go as far as switching off the microphone while she was speaking on air, reprimanding her off-air and questioning everything that she did.
“I was on survival mode for an entire year, I hated going to work because I had to work with that man. I expressed my concerns to management but nothing really happened.
“Everybody in that building knew that we were not getting along and people would question and caution me, telling me that he didn’t like me.”
She said in her entire radio career, she remembers the unfavourable experience because it was the worst time for her, noting that there were a lot of instances that happened between them while they were co-hosting the show.
“When he left the station, Felix Hlophe stood in for him and I did things that were highly questionable and unnatural.
“Felix lifted me up and reversed all the horrible memories that I had. He reignited my flame, he was the big brother that I needed for my career to stand a chance.”
See full video here:
