Media personality and singer Unathi Nkayi revealed last month that she is suing her former employer Kaya 959 for unfair dismissal and loss of income.
According to Sunday World, she is demanding R1.6 million from the radio station.
UNATHI SUING KAYA 959 FOR R1.6 MILLION
The lawsuit, filed at the Johannesburg High Court last week, reveals that the former Idols SA presenter signed a contract with the station on 11 February 2020. Her contract commenced on 1 March 2020 and was expected to run until 28 February 2023.
For the first four months, Kaya 959 was expected to pay her R60 0000 per month. Unathi said the station increased her monthly fee to R81 250 after increasing her weekly shifts from April 1 2021 to air the midday show.
WHY WAS SHE FIRED?
In November 2021, Unathi was fired by Kaya 859’s former manager Sibongile Mtyali after a dispute with the radio station’s drive show host, Sizwe Dhlomo.
The Kwa Nolali singer had complained to management about Sizwe Dhlomo’s late coming.
She had also allegedly accused Sizwe of gender-based violence (GBV), which led to her getting the boot when Kaya 959 management reportedly investigated and found her allegations to be false. However, Unathi denied the GBV claims in a statement she released at the time.
A year after Unathi’s dismissal, City Press reported that Mtyali had been fired by Kaya 959 after Sizwe complained about sports presenter Mpho Maboi allegedly continually arriving late for their pre-show planning meetings.
A BREAKDOWN OF THE R1.6 MILLION
According to the court papers, Unathi suffered contractual damages to the tune of R1 300 000.00, as a result of the dismissal.
“The total sum which the defendant failed to pay over the 16-month period was R1 300 000.00 [R81 250.00 multiplied by 16]. Despite demand, the defendant has failed to pay to the plaintiff the sum of R1 300 000.00. The defendant is ordered to pay to the plaintiff the sum of R1 300 000.00,” read the papers.
She also demands that the station unpublishes a statement from its website saying there was breakdown in trust between them and her version of events in the matter and had “unfortunately been found wanting”. For this, she is demanding R100 000.
In addition, she is demanding R200 000 for impairment of dignity after the station said in its termination letter that she lied about her complaint about Sizwe Dhlomo.
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