DJ Sbu has plunged Radio 2000 into a crisis after committing a cock-up that has the potential to end his career at the station.
Sunday World can exclusively reveal that Sbu resigned from Radio 2000 last week after misreading a standard letter that the station mandarins transmitted to him and all its other on-air talent to mean that his contract would not be renewed when it comes to an end this month.
Little did he know that the station was intending to kick-start new negotiations to renew his contract by another season.
Sbu, whose resignation was designed to do damage control to avoid bad publicity that comes with dismissals, pleaded with the SABC to help him with a strategy to rectify the clanger so that he could get his cushy job as a breakfast show co-host back. Although he has signed a new contract, DJ Sbu and the station are scratching their heads on how they could correct his blooper.
News of DJ Sbu’s costly gaffe, which was kept hush-hush, was leaked to Sunday World by an impeccable source who is close to the station.
The deep throat, who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation, said the powers that management sent a standard letter to all its on-air talent a month before their contracts come to an end next month.
“Afterwards, the management would call each and every individual employee and negotiate new terms and conditions with them separately,” said the tipster.
The bosses sent the letters out last week, said the mole.
DJ Sbu, born Sibusiso Leope, also received the letter, but the music producer misconstrued it to mean that the station no longer needed his services and that it would not renew his contract when it ends.
“He then went to social media platforms and announced that he had resigned from the station,” said the source.
The source said the station’s management contacted him after reading his social media posts and engaged him because he brought in the numbers.
“He then told them that he thought the station no longer needed his services, that is why he announced on social media that he had resigned and was leaving.
“The management told him that was a standard letter that was sent to everybody and that it was planning to negotiate with him for a new contract because they want him to be part of the new line-up because his show is doing well,” said the source.
When they told him this, said the source, the hair on his back bristled.
“He is so upset with himself. He then pleaded with the station to help him manage his faux pas. The station management does not know what to do to save the situation,” said the source.
SABC spokesperson Mmoni Ngubane: “We can confirm that DJ Sbu is still with Radio 2000 and has signed a contract for 12 months.”
