Thando Thabethe spills the tea about her 5FM exit

Media personality and radio DJ Thando Thabethe quickly became the only thing that social media users could talk about on Tuesday evening after she posted a lengthy thread detailing the real reason behind her shocking exit from the radio station.

According to Thabethe’s thread, she was the last to find out that her show no longer existed and she believes that she was depicted as a demanding person by the intermediary (the programmes manager) she spoke to in an effort to renegotiate her contract.

Her exit was confirmed in early March with no real reason given for why the show was coming to an end.

“And so, I’ve dropped the mic after 6 years at 5FM and 11 years in radio, this is it. Hardest day of my life…but most beautiful!!!

Thank you to everyone that has been instrumental in my career thus far… Tumelo Diaho, who picked up this 17-year-old girl from campus radio and thought she would be something, I owe you more than I could repay you,” wrote Thabethe in an Instagram caption.

Things seem to have changed between then and now, however, as she posted the following message on Tuesday:

A thread on why I resigned from @5fm.

Context first: 5FM had “acting” programme & station manager for a couple of months, they finally appointed JD Mostert and Siyanda Fikelephi as Station & Programme Manager respectively. On Friday 28 Feb I had a meeting with the PM who let me know that the show was renewed, as per our annual negotiations. I then tried to negotiate a raise of R200 an hour. At this point he had agreed for me to take 2 weeks leave to shoot housekeepers.

Fast forward the following Monday I hear that the Thabooty drive will be no longer as it doesn’t fit into the 2/5 year plan of the SABC. This info I hear from colleagues or people on my show. At this point I hear that the replacement of the show had already been notified and so had my current teammates. Note: I was the last to find out that my very own show no longer existed!!!

Fast forward PM finally sits me down on the following Tuesday to tell me that the show doesn’t exist…plot twist…I then hear that the powers that be were told that I DEMANDED a 20% increase and 6 weeks leave.
I to this day am not privy of why the show was given and days later taken from me, without notice. I believe I am not the first neither will I be the last to experience this by the SABC.

I was offered…wait for it…SUNDAYS 4-7am. I have ploughed many hours into the work that I do, and found this an insult after 11 years on radio. I then proceeded to resign. The current line up at 5FM is not a representation of the diverse country that we live in. It’s also very easy to dub me as “demanding” to the powers that be in the hope that the truth doesn’t come out.

The truth eventually did come out, I was then offered my original slot back, which I declined, in the fear of being victimized by the very same ppl who wanted me gone to begin with.

Because I have been in this industry for a while and understand 100% that shows are shuffled and changed annually. My gripe is the lies told to me and about me for personal gains. I hope this never happens to anyone else. I know of many stories where artists are mistreated…

And hope that others will be able to speak up when unfairly labelled and treated.

With the help of a friend the matter was raised with SABC Management & despite their efforts to intervene 5FM decided to stay with their initial plan. I hope that the people responsible for this are held accountable and brought to book.

She was immediately met with support from DJ Fresh who has had his fair share of trouble with SABC radio.

Neither the SABC nor 5FM had issued a statement at the time of publishing.

WATCH: Celebrity line-up DJ Fresh, Sbu, Cliff talk about ‘being fired’ on radio

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